Just Like This
by FloatingAmoeba
Summary: Sequel to 'Better This Way'. Lilly and Scotty have been living together for three months. What happens when a new case stirs up unwanted, and unexpected, feelings? Established Lilly/Scotty, with Kat/Vera. Second part of the trilogy. COMPLETED.
1. Opus

A/N I'm back! For those of you that don't know, this is the sequel to 'Better This Way', and I would sorta advise reading that one first. And I apologize, as I was hoping to start this sooner, but Things got in the way. So here's the first chapter. It takes place around three months after 'Better This Way'. For the record, I have no about how a police investigation works (except for the other part, the criminal part, but let's not talk about that...) so please ignore any detective-y parts that don't quite make sense.

Disclaimer: Here we go again. It's really hard to think up new ones of these, you know. I might just have to recycle some.

* * *

Two children wandered through the double doors, attracting strange looks as they went. The boy, who was the eldest by about three years, hovered protectively behind his sister. The little girl climbed into a chair, her chin length blonde hair swinging into her eyes.

Detectives Rush and Jeffries walked in through the doors. Lilly stopped suddenly, her eyes doing a double take at the children sitting in the Homicide Department.

"Jeffries, there's a child sitting in my chair," she said in a soft voice. Jeffries shrugged, nudging her towards her desk.

"You're the one with ovaries," he replied, earning himself a glare.

Lilly headed over, ignoring the disbelieving looks she received. The little girl's eyes brightened as she saw the female detective walking in her direction.

"Are you lost?" Lilly asked softly.

"No, ma'am. This is the Homicide Department, right?" the boy replied politely.

The detective crouched down in front of them.

"Can I help you?" The little girl blinked, smiling up at Lilly.

"Uh uh. I'm a detective," she said proudly. Lilly smiled.

"Hey, me too."

The boy jabbed his sister with his elbow.

"Be quiet, Cady," he hissed. Lilly raised her eyebrows. The boy glared at her. _Being nice obviously doesn't work. So I'll treat him like a criminal. A criminal with size 2 feet._

"There a reason you're sitting in my seat?" she asked challengingly. The girl nodded.

"Uh huh."

The boy sighed.

"Greg says I gotta talk to a detective." Lilly shrugged, sitting down on another seat.

"So talk."

* * *

Scotty Valens walked in just in time to see a small child climb into his partner's lap. He removed his coat and walked over, resting a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder.

"Somethin' you ain't tellin' me, Rush?"

Lilly breathed a sigh of relief, and looked up.

"Hey." The young boy edged closer to his sister, warily glancing up at Scotty.

"Who ya got here, Lil?" the detective asked, leaning against her desk. The little girl puffed up her chest importantly.

"I'm Cady, and I'm five years old," she announced. Her brother scowled.

"Cady!" he said in frustration. Scotty folded his arms, studying the kid carefully.

"You got a name?" he asked quietly. The boy remained silent. Cady rolled her eyes.

"His name's Adam. He's eight."

"CADY! I told you not to say anything!" Adam said, his voice rising.

Tears appeared in his eyes, and he angrily wiped them away. Cady wriggled further into Lilly's lap. The detective looked up at her partner in concern. Scotty moved to crouch in front of Adam.

"Adam? Who are you afraid of?" The little boy shook his head. Instinctively, Lilly swept his hair back from his face.

"Adam? Hey, look at me." He met her eyes uncertainly. She smiled reassuringly.

"Yeah?"

"Adam, no-one can hurt you here. I promise." The boy hesitated for a moment, before taking a deep breath.

"My dad killed Mom."

* * *

Vera, Jeffries, Miller and Stillman stood grouped together in the doorway of the break room. They watched their colleagues, huddling close to the children. Vera frowned pensively.

"Anyone notice how they're actin'…natural?"

Stillman nodded, his eyes bright with admiration.

"It's almost as if they're a real family," he said in a hushed voice. The four detectives froze. They exchanged cunning glances, mischievous smiles spreading from their lips.

Vera spoke first.

"20 bucks says the next three weeks…"

* * *

Please leave me a review. Just for tradition's sake. Pretty please with...everything you've ever wanted on top?


	2. Dreaming Out Loud

A/N Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter- my ego is THIS big! Special thanks to my dedicated followers from 'Better This Way'. Now, in this chapter, we have the reappearance of several characters- I did say you should read 'Better This Wau' first! Happy reading and reviewing!

Disclaimer: Nope. Nada. Zilch. Nothin' to do wit' me.

* * *

Scotty glanced up from his desk. The children were watching cartoons in the break room, giving the detectives a moment to themselves.

"You know they got a pool on for when we're gonna get married, right?" Lilly nodded, taking another bite out of her apple.

"I've been getting strange looks all day."

Scotty grinned.

"So…" His partner looked at him, arching an eyebrow.

"Scotty, we've been dating for three months." He grinned cockily.

"But you've been in love with me almost three years." Lilly's mouth fell open, and she threw the apple core at her partner.

"I have not!" He ducked the flying fruit, laughing. The blonde detective pulled a face.

They fell into comfortable silence. After a while, Scotty cleared his throat.

"How long?" he asked. Lilly glanced up, and seeing the look in his eyes, knew what he was asking about.

"Two years." She paused. "Two and a half years." She paused again. "OK, fine. Nearly three." Scotty's grin grew.

"OK."

The silence returned, until Lilly echoed his question. She folded her arms across her chest.

"How long?" His cocky grin lit up his face.

"Too long to count, Lil."

* * *

"Rush! Valens!" Exchanging wary glances, Lilly and Scotty stood up. They made their way to Stillman's office, disposing of their trash on the way past.

"Yeah, boss?" Scotty said.

"Come in, you two." Lilly shut the door behind her, folding her arms.

"What's up?"

Stillman looked up at the two detectives standing in front of him. He cleared his throat.

"I've just got off the phone with Child Services. After the accusation Adam made against his father, they can't send the kids home to Daddy. However, they're unable to find temporary foster care for Cady and Adam together."

"So what? They get separate accommodation?" the male detective questioned.

"You can't split them up!" Lilly said incredulously.

"They've been through enough already, boss," Scotty pointed out. Stillman nodded, sitting forward in his seat.

"I know. That's why I've been given until the end of the day to find suitable accommodation for both children," he said, looking pointedly at Lilly.

Her eyes widened in realisation. _WHAT? IS HE CRAZY?_

"Me? No, no, no. No way." Her boss shrugged.

"It's one of us, or a foster family, Lil."

"I can't look after them!"

"Then I'll have to ask Miller. But what with Veronica…"

Lilly gave a resigned sigh, and turned to look at her partner.

"Scotty?" He grinned.

"It's your call, Lil." She shook her head.

"You live there too." Scotty laughed, shrugging.

"We'll do it, boss."

Lilly smiled, beginning to get excited. Holding onto her boyfriend's arm, she turned to him, her eyes bright.

"Do I get to do bedtime? Scotty, let me do bedtime!"

* * *

A while later, Lilly stood in the break room doorway, watching Adam and Cady. _What the hell am I supposed to do? I have no idea how to look after children! This is all Jeffries' fault. OK, I suppose children are like cats. What do they need? A warm place to sleep, an occasional bath, food…FOOD!_

The boy turned his head, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Hi," he said softly. _Does he ever relax? _Lilly thought, pushing off the wall and walking into the room.

"Are you guys hungry?" Cady nodded, her short blonde hair bobbing. Adam smiled shyly.

"Can we get something? Is that OK?" Lilly laughed.

"It's fine. Let me just get my coat."

Heading back out over to her desk, she paused as Scotty beckoned her across, his face serious. Vera and Miller stood over a box.

"What's this?" Lilly asked, her smile fading. Vera looked up.

"Kate Marsden, found shot dead in an alleyway outside St Thomas', June 14th 2006."

Scotty ran a hand through his hair.

"Case went cold a few months later," Miller added. Lilly picked up a photo of the victim.

"Good lookin' woman," Vera said, noticing the distant look on his colleague's face. She glanced towards the break room.

"We're going for something to eat," she said to Scotty, "meet you at home?"

He leant forward to quickly kiss her cheek.

"OK. I'll finish up here." The two children hurried across. Cady slipped her hand into Lilly's, causing the detective to jump in surprise.

"Lilly, we're ready!" she said excitedly. Miller chuckled.

"Eat somethin' for me, will you, Lil? Fat ass here ate all the donuts."

* * *

Lilly held open the door.

"OK, what do you feel like?" she asked as Adam and Cady slipped under her arm.

Di looked up as the trio approached the counter.

"You got something to tell me, Lilly?" she asked. The detective rolled her eyes, lifting Cady onto the barstool.

"That's what Scotty said." Di laughed.

"He learnt well."

Lilly grinned. Di wiped the counter with a towel, eyeing the children curiously.

"So, who do we have here?" Lilly stood behind the kids, placing her hands on Adam's shoulders.

"Di, meet Adam and Cady." The woman behind the counter held out her hand for the boy to shake. Adam blinked, before tentatively shaking her hand. Lilly smoothed back Cady's hair.

"What do you guys want to eat?" Cady leant back, looking up at her.

"What am I allowed?" The detective exchanged amused glances with Di, a smile spreading from her lips.

"You can have whatever you want, baby," the older woman said from behind the counter.

Cady thought for a moment.

"Fries," she said decisively. Adam giggled. Lilly raised her eyebrows.

"Just fries?"

"Nuh uh. Fries and ketchup." The detective laughed. Di scribbled it down on her pad.

"Marcus!"

The gangly youth stuck his head through the doorway. He raised a hand at Lilly.

"What's up, Detective? How ya'll doin' today?" She nodded.

"Hey, Marcus." He glanced at the children.

"PPD branching into childcare, Rush?" Lilly laughed.

"No way!"

"Anyway, what else can I get you?" Di said, smiling broadly.

The blonde detective turned to Adam.

"Adam?" He grinned.

"Pizza?" Lilly rolled her eyes.

"What is it with men and pizza?" Marcus grinned.

"You want a chocolate milkshake, Rush?"

"Only if you're buying," she replied. Di handed the waiter the order, shooing him back into the kitchen.

"Scoot. You heard the lady. GO!"

* * *

The diner was quiet, with only a few regulars sitting at the booths. Lilly watched Adam from the corner of her eye. Unaware he was being studied, the boy continued to struggle with his cutlery, trying to cut his pizza. With a sigh of frustration, he slammed down his knife.

Lilly dunked her straw in and out of her milkshake.

"It's OK to ask for help, you know," she said quietly. Adam frowned, shaking his head.

"I'm fine." The detective shrugged, and went back to her drink. They were silent again. After a while, Adam looked up sheepishly.

"Lilly?" She smiled, reaching over for his plate.

"You must be tired. It's been a long day." He shrugged.

"I'm OK." Lilly studied him carefully, but before she could form a reply, Cady tugged at her sleeve.

"Lilly? Lilly, I'm done." _Oh well. I'll guess I'll talk to him later._

* * *

As promised, Scotty had finished up at the precinct, and returned home shortly after they did. He and 'the kids' were currently playing with her cats, and Lilly smiled at their excited giggles echoing through from the living room. She studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror. _What have I gotten myself into? I've got all these…feelings...OH MY GOD! _Her eyes widened. _I'm having maternal instincts!_

There was a soft knock on the door, disturbing her thoughts. Lilly turned, pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

"Come in," she called. Adam poked his head around the door. He gave her a small smile.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked quietly. Lilly nodded in the direction of the bed. Adam sat on the edge of the mattress.

"What's up?" Lilly called, disappearing back into the bathroom. Adam thought for a moment.

"Scotty said you'd been hurt." The blonde detective stood in the doorway, her face curious. _Oh he did, did he? I think Detective Valens needs to learn when to keep his mouth shut._

"Oh yeah? What did he say?" Adam shrugged.

"That if I wanted to know, I should ask."

_Gee, thanks, Scotty. Don't make it easy for me. _Lilly moved to sit beside him.

"Are you asking?" He looked up at her nervously. Seeing the fear in his eyes, Lilly smiled reassuringly. "Adam, I'm not going to be mad at you." _Scotty maybe, but not you. _The little boy nodded.

"How did you get hurt?"

"I was shot," she replied quietly.

His eyes widened, and he looked up at her in surprise. Lilly pulled down the top of her jumper. Adam blinked at the small white scar on her shoulder. He reached up a tentative hand, his eyes flicking to Lilly's for permission. She nodded, smiling. The little boy touched the scar, but quickly pulled his hand away. He looked up at the detective in surprise.

"It's just like your shoulder!"

Lilly laughed, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, pulling him into her side.

"It's still pretty early."

"Uh huh."

"So, I was thinking maybe we could watch a movie." Adam looked up at her, grinning.

"Scotty and Cady too?" The detective sighed in mock disappointment.

"I suppose." He chuckled.

"OK."

* * *

Neither of them knew which child had fallen asleep first. Scotty and Lilly carried Adam and Cady into the spare bedroom, gently laying them down below the covers. It was only when the detectives slid into bed themselves that they realised exactly how exhausted they were.

Feeling Scotty place a soft kiss to the back of her neck, Lilly closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Her partner pulled her into the shape of his body, his breathing slowing, evening out. They fell asleep simultaneously, bodies pressed together as usual.

Lilly and Scotty slept for a while, until around 11pm. The door opened, allowing a thin beam of moonlight to travel across the floor. Cady crept into the room, slowly walking to stand beside the bed.

"Lilly?" The detective opened her eyes.

"Cady?" she murmured sleepily.

"Uh huh."

Lilly propped herself up on one elbow, blinking.

"What's up?" Cady shivered.

"I woke up," she whispered. The detective slid out of bed, trying not to disturb Scotty. Reaching for a blanket, she wrapped it around the girl, and picked her up. She walked into the living room, and settled down on the sofa.

"So why couldn't you sleep?"

"I don't know, Lilly," Cady whispered back. The woman hugged the child close to her body. Cady tucked her head under Lilly's chin, her breath warm against the detective's chest.

"I remember when I was little, and I couldn't sleep. I used to creep downstairs and onto the steps. I looked up at the stars, and imagine that they were talking to me," Lilly whispered.

Cady's eyes began to droop, soothed by Lilly's soft voice and body heat.

"Did the stars talk to you?" she mumbled.

"They used to say, 'Don't stop dreaming, Lilly. Never stop dreaming.'"

* * *

Altogether now...AAAWWW! Can anyone else picture Rush having maternal instincts? No. Didn't think so. Oh. The voices are back, asking for more reviews...


	3. Inside Revelations

A/N HEY you guys! Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter 2- much appreciated! And yes, Lilly's Thing with Froot Loops stems from my own addiction to sugar-packed cereals. Like Captain Crunch. Well, anyway, I'll go and let you start reading...and reviewing...

Disclaimer: Did I tell you I got a new cat called Benny? Well, no, I don't own Cold Case, but...I own Benny?

* * *

As he opened the bedroom door the next morning, Scotty grinned. Lilly lay asleep on the sofa, Cady curled up in her lap. A blanket covered both of them, tucked in around their bodies. Scotty shook his head, and walked into the kitchen.

Scotty jumped as he saw Adam sitting at the table. The boy looked up from his cereal. The detective raised a hand in greeting, a crooked smile spreading from his lips.

"Don't let Lilly see you eatin' her Fruit Loops."

Adam laughed quietly. He took in the detective's running gear, his eyes widening.

"How far do you run?" he asked curiously.

"Depends." Scotty caught Adam's longing look. "You wanna come?"

The boy's face lit up, and he nodded vigorously. Scotty grinned.

"OK. Finish up your breakfast, then go get ready. I'll wake up Sleepin' Beauty." Adam scooped his cereal into his mouth, chewing hurriedly.

"Hey Scotty?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"Thanks."

The detective ruffled Adam's hair.

"No problem. Hey, you like donuts?" Adam nodded vigorously.

"Yeah."

"We'll stop off and get some. Just don't tell Lil, OK?" The boy nodded again, hurrying into the spare bedroom. Scotty chuckled to himself. _He's a good kid. Deserves better than some screwed up ol' man._

Walking across to the sofa, Scotty leant down to kiss Lilly lightly. She stirred, tightening her arms around Cady. Blinking, she opened her eyes.

"Hey, beautiful," Scotty whispered with a grin.

Lilly smiled, still waking up. She looked down at the child asleep in her lap, and then back up at Scotty, her eyes wide in wonder. The amazed smile on her face made Scotty's heart sing. He kissed her again, careful not to wake the child.

"Morning," Lilly said softly.

"Me an' Adam are goin' runnin'," he whispered.

His partner nodded.

"OK. I'll stay here." Scotty smirked, but before he could reply, Adam appeared beside him.

"Hey, Lilly," he whispered with a shy smile.

"Did you sleep well?" she replied softly. The boy nodded. Scotty kissed Lilly quickly, and then led Adam to the door.

"Scotty!" she called softly. He paused in the doorway.

"Yeah, Lil?" She smiled appealingly.

"Buy another box of Fruit Loops?" Scotty chuckled.

"OK, Lil."

She smiled, and blew him a kiss.

"Love you."

"Love you, too," he replied, shutting the door.

* * *

It wasn't long after Scotty and Adam left that Cady woke up. Lilly hadn't moved from her original position, and tensed slightly as the child stirred. Cady let out a sigh.

"Lilly?"

"Good morning," the detective replied softly.

The girl rubbed her eyes, nestling her cheek into Lilly's vest. She stretched.

"Lilly…" she mumbled. Lilly sat up, allowing the child to wake up properly. Cady looked around, her eyes widening.

"Where's Adam?"

"They've gone running. Don't worry, they'll be back soon."

Cady grinned toothily.

"Did I sleep on the sofa?" she asked incredulously. Lilly laughed, standing up and scooping the child into her arms, carried her into the kitchen.

"Yep. The stars carried you in here," she teased. Cady slid down onto the chair.

"Is it time for breakfast?"

"Uh huh."

"What kinda cereals do you got?" the little girl asked. Lilly shrugged.

"I'm out of Fruit Loops, but I make some pretty good pancakes?" Cady giggled excitedly.

"With chocolate sauce?"

"With chocolate sauce."

* * *

Scotty and Adam had returned from their run, and as the hands on the clock flicked to 9:00, the 'family' trooped into the Homicide department. A while later, Stillman beckoned Lilly across. Wearing a frown, the detective did as she was asked, foreboding rising up in her chest. _He doesn't look happy. I'm not going to enjoy this, am I?_

"What's up, boss?" His face was grave as he answered.

"We have to talk to Adam about what he knows."

"Right now?"

"Now." Lilly sighed inwardly.

"Give me a minute?" Stillman eyed her carefully.

"Make it quick."

Entering the interview room, Lilly shut the door behind her. She sat down beside Adam. He looked up with a smile.

"Hey, Lilly."

"Adam, we need to talk," the detective replied slowly.

Adam's face fell, and his eyes dropped to the table.

"About Dad." Lilly placed a hand on his back.

"Yeah. Is that OK?"

"I guess," he mumbled. She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, and left, quietly shutting the door behind her.

Stillman blocked her path, causing the blonde detective to look up in surprise.

"You can't do the interview?" Her jaw dropped in disbelief.

"What? Why not?" Her boss shrugged apologetically.

"Rules are rules, Rush. You're too…" Lilly narrowed her eyes.

"Too what? Too emotionally involved?"

Stillman took a deep breath, trying to avoid World War Lilly.

"Vera and Miller will do the interview." Lilly sighed petulantly.

"Am I at least allowed to watch?" The lieutenant nodded slowly.

"Watch. In silence."

* * *

Vera shut the door, moving to sit in the seat beside Miller. The boy looked up in concern.

"Where's Lilly?" he asked quickly. The two detectives exchanged glances.

"She can't be in here, Adam, but I can promise she's waiting right outside," Miller said quietly.  
His eyes flicked towards the door.

Vera opened the folder, giving Adam what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Adam, can you tell us what happened when you went to church that night?" The boy frowned.

"I can't remember much," he mumbled. Miller shrugged, her lips curving up in a lopsided smile.

"Try your best." Adam's brow was creased, his dark eyes screwed up in concentration.

"Cady was crying because Dad made us go to church. I didn't want to go, but he promised we could go for ice cream the next day."

"What happened next, Adam?"

"Dad went to talk to Father David. I don't like him."

"Why not?"

"He's mean. He treats Greg bad."

"Does he hurt Greg?" Adam shook his head.

"No, he just says bad things." Vera scribbled something down on his pad, his brow furrowed.

"You're doin' great, Adam," he muttered.

"Me and Cady went to see Greg. He gave us some candy, but Cady said she wanted to go home. I went to find Dad, and…" His eyes filled up and overflowed.

Miller leant forward.

"Then what happened?" Tears soaked into the boy's shirt, and they could see his shoulders shaking.

"He…he said…" Adam broke into soft sniffles. Vera and Miller exchanged helpless looks. The burly detective shrugged sadly. _Ain't nothin' I can say that will make this kid feel better._

* * *

From behind the mirrored glass, Stillman and Jeffries shook their heads, watching as the sad scene unfolded in the interview room. Tearing her eyes away from Adam, Lilly looked pleadingly at Stillman.

"Boss…"

With a sigh, he nodded, watching as she quickly entered the room on the other side. Jeffries moved to stand beside his friend, smiling slightly as Lilly placed a gentle arm around Adam's shoulders. He glanced across at Stillman.

"Kindred spirits?" he asked, nodding towards the pair. Stillman smiled briefly.

"Two lost children hiding behind a front that no-one can quite understand." Jeffries nodded.

"Ten-year-old Lilly never grew up," he said softly. Stillman shrugged.

"Scotty's good for her. He'll put her back together. I just hope she can control her temper long enough for him to stick around." The big detective chuckled.

"I wouldn't worry. Like paper and glue, those two. Paper and glue."

* * *

After Lilly had called a halt to the interview, Stillman had called a uniformed officer to take the children 'for some down time'. They now sat at Lilly's desk, scribbling furiously on paper. She smiled to herself. _Wish I could do that. Maybe work would be more interesting._

The blonde detective watched them, with folded arms and a slightly creased brow. She stood in Stillman's office, looking out into the bullpen. Scotty sat nearby, fiddling with his tie.

"…we've got nowhere near enough to charge him." Lilly managed to tear her eyes away from Adam and Cady to hear the end of her boss' statement.

"What about them?"

From his chair, Stillman shrugged. Scotty glanced at his partner, and listened to his boss continue.

"Adam and Cady have an aunt driving down from Atlantic City to take custody. After today, they're no longer wards of the state."

Lilly turned back to the children.

"And they can go home to the man that killed their mother."

* * *

"I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry."

"Am not!"

"Are too. You're worse than Vera."

"That was low, Lil. Comparin' me to that fat ass."

Stillman led the woman over towards the Cold Case squad, disrupting their conversation. Scotty looked up from his seat on his partner's desk.

"Rush, Valens, this is Jodie Reynolds. Adam and Cady's aunt." The two detectives stood up hastily, extending their hands.

Mrs Reynolds shook their hands dutifully, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"I just wanted to say thank you, for looking after Adam and Cady." Lilly nodded, glancing at Scotty.

"It was no problem. Kate was your sister?" she asked.

Scotty laughed inwardly at his partner's ability to change the subject. _I swear this woman never stops working. _Lilly caught him looking at her, and with a subtle tilt of her head, raised a questioning eyebrow. He shook his head, trying to focus on the case. Mrs Reynolds nodded, her eyes clouding over at the memory.

"Yes. But…"

His detective radar stood to attention.

"But?" The woman blushed.

"But since she married Michael, we'd grown…distant." Lilly folded her arms.

"You don't get on with him?" Jodie smiled sadly.

"My husband, Jake, always said there was something…not right, about that man."

Scotty's heart went out to the woman. _Looks like he was pretty damn accurate. _As if someone had flicked a switch, Jodie Reynolds blinked.

"Well, I better get back. Where are the kids?" Lilly felt sadness tug at her heartstrings. _I suppose they had to leave sooner or later. I just wished it could be later._

The male detective watched his partner carefully. Realising that she wasn't going to answer, Scotty cleared his throat.

"Uh, they're waiting downstairs." Mrs Reynolds smiled gratefully.

"Thanks. Would you like to come and say goodbye?"

Lilly's eyes widened in panic.

"NO!" she said quickly. Seeing the look of confusion on the other woman's face, the detective backtracked. "I mean, we've already said goodbye."

"Well, OK. Please. Find whoever did this. No matter who it is."

"We will," Scotty promised. He quickly scribbled something down on a piece of paper, handing it to Mrs Reynolds. At her questioning glance, he smiled.

"Phone number. In case Adam remembers anythin'."

"Or if he just wants to talk," Lilly added, finally finding her tongue.

Mrs Reynolds nodded, and the detectives were surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"Thanks again," she whispered, quickly walking out of the department. The blonde detective sighed heavily.

"Remind me why having children is supposed to be a good thing?"

Chuckling softly, Scotty smoothed back her hair.

"I know, Lil," he said understandingly, "I know."

* * *

"The Marsden family were religious, weren't they?"

Lilly looked up. Seeing the hopeful glint in his eyes, she realised, with a warm feeling spreading through her chest, that her partner was simply trying to distract her. _See? This is why I love him._

"Catholic."

Scotty nodded.

"Right. So, you're Catholic. You're feelin' guilty. Where d'ya go?" His partner thought for a moment.

"Confession," she said eventually, a smile appearing around her lips.

The male detective grinned, glad his girlfriend had taken the bait.

"Fancy a trip to church?" Her smile grew.

"Forgive me, father, for I have sinned."

* * *

"Fr. David!" Lilly called. He turned, his face brightening.

"Detectives. How can I help you?" Scotty stood behind his partner.

"Kate Marsden. You know her?" The priest nodded.

"Of course. Since she was a little girl."

"Did she ever…tell you anything?" Lilly asked. Fr. David smiled apologetically.

"You know I can't tell you that." Scotty took a step forward.

"You tellin' me you've never broken the Seal of the Confessional?"

"That's a sin. If you hadn't noticed, Detective, I'm a Catholic," the priest replied, looking around the church.

"Father, there are two children out there who have no idea what happened to their mother," Lilly said.

"Yeah, an' we jus' wanna give them some answers." Fr. David shook his head.

"I can't help you. Now, if you'll please excuse me, I have Mass to prepare."

As he began to walk away, Scotty turned to call after him.

"And Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free'."

The priest stopped. For a moment, the detectives thought he'd turn back, but he continued slowly down the aisle. Lilly sighed in frustration.

"This is exactly why I never go to church."

* * *

FYI, I'm not a religious person, so if the quote isn't exact, then blame the Internet. Or just leave me a review with the correct wording. Hint hint.


	4. The Eagle Has Landed

A/N Well, aren't ya'll lucky? Two chapters in just as many days! OK, FYI, I know nothing about football, or its rules. It is something my boyfriend is only just coming to terms with. I know nothing about the Philadelphia Eagles, except that AJ Feeley is kinda cute. Oh yeah, and I know nothing about Philadelphia, so if there are any geographical errors...call my publisher. Anyway, have fun reading, ya'll!

Disclaimer: Hmm...la la la...sigh. There's something you don't hear everyday. They ain't mine!

* * *

"Hurry up, Valens!" Lilly said, throwing him his coat. Scotty caught it, his eyebrows rising in surprise.

"What's the rush?" She smiled, making her partner's heart flip.

"We've got a game to go to."

Scotty laughed in astonishment.

"Seriously?" Vera walked in as the couple were pulling on their coats.

"Where ya goin'?" Scotty grinned.

"Eagles are playing the Giants." The big detective scowled.

"I coulda had that ticket. Rush don't even like football," he grumbled.

Lilly rolled her eyes, tugging on Scotty's hand and pushing the doors open.

"Suck it up, Nick," she called teasingly.

"Yeah, we'll buy you a hat!"

* * *

Going home to change hadn't been such a good idea. Without Adam and Cady, the house seemed desperately quiet. The detectives changed in silence. Olivia rubbed herself up against Scotty's leg, and he bent to rub her head.

"What's up, cat?"

"Her name is Olivia," Lilly called from the bathroom.

Smiling slightly, Scotty rolled his eyes.

"I know!" Lilly appeared in the doorway, smiling. The cat pawed at his leg, and with a sigh, Scotty bent down to pick her up.

"You don't hate my cats," she said smugly.

"Yeah, I do."

Lilly reached for her jacket, slipping it over her arms. Olivia leapt down from the man's arms

"Are you ready?" Scotty straightened up, sliding his wallet into his back pocket.

"Uh huh." He moved towards the door, but his path was blocked by a three-legged cat, who sat staring up at him accusingly. Lilly laughed.

"I meant to tell you. My cats don't like it if you pick favourites."

Rolling his eyes, the male detective crouched down to stroke Tripod's head, his thumb earning a satisfied purr of approval.

"Stupid cat," Scotty muttered affectionately. Lilly smirked knowingly.

"Come on, Valens. Maybe, if you're lucky, they'll let you share their bed tonight."

"I don't wanna share their bed."

"OK, maybe if you're lucky, I'll let you share mine."

* * *

Heading down the highway towards the stadium, Philadelphia seemed awfully quiet. Lilly smiled to herself. _It's nice to get away from criminals._ Scotty glanced at his partner from the corner of his eye.

"So why today?" he asked quietly.

Avoiding his knowing gaze, Lilly stared out of the window.

"I'm distracting myself," she replied. He nodded.

"I figured. But it's OK to miss them, Lil."

"I'm not supposed to miss them, Scotty. They were part of the case. That's it."

"That's it?" he repeated questioningly.

Lilly heard the underlying tone of disbelief. She chose to ignore it.

* * *

"This is why I hate football."

Scotty grinned at the small scowl on his partner's face.

"Because of the traffic? Come on, Lil!" She glared at him.

"Can't you just flash your badge, and say it's police business?"

"No, Lil," Scotty replied, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

With a disgruntled sigh, Lilly sat back in her seat, folding her arms. Rolling down her window, she listened to the sounds of 30000 people trying to occupy the same parking space. Scotty glanced in the rear-view mirror. He smirked, seeing a car surreptitiously pulling out of a space.

Putting the car in reverse, the male detective backed up, and a moment later, a satisfied Lilly was climbing smoothly out of the passenger's door.

"You know," she began, "if we leave after the first quarter, we'll beat the traffic."

Scotty laughed, looping his arm through hers.

"Doesn't work like that, Lil." Leaning into him, the blonde sighed heavily.

"I hate football."

* * *

"Row B, seats 16 and 17?" Lilly asked, looking down at the tickets in her hand. Scotty wasn't listening. He was too busy glaring at the guy who was very obviously eyeing her up. When she looked back to see why he hadn't replied, it took Lilly all of a second to assess the situation.

Rolling her eyes, the blonde detective tugged on her boyfriend's sleeve. Scotty's face lost its scowl as he turned towards her. Lilly pecked him quickly on the lips.

"Relax," she murmured. She tried not to laugh at the pout of Scotty's lips.

"I don't like it," Scotty grumbled.

Lilly kissed him again, pushing him down the aisle towards the empty spaces.

"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to." Scotty smirked.

"Guy don't check out my girlfriend without payin' the price," he said under his breath.

Lilly slid her hand down to tangle with his, following him along the row to their seats. Scotty grinned down at her.

"These seats are amazing," he said, leaning down to kiss the top of his partner's head. Lilly nodded.

"If you say so," she teased.

* * *

The Philadelphia Eagles were losing. They were losing in the first quarter. And the second. So far, they were also losing in the third quarter. Lilly giggled as Scotty shouted obscenities at the men on the field. Hearing her laugh, he turned to look at her, raising his eyebrows.

"You laughin' at me, Rush?" She shook her head, trying to contain her laugh.

"No."

Grinning, Scotty pulled her towards him, placing a kiss onto her lips. Pulling away, Lilly frowned slightly.

"Why do men get so worked up about football?" Scotty wandered his hands further down her back until he reached the top of her jeans. As he fingered her waistband, he blinked in surprise.

"You brought your gun to a football game?" Lilly giggled again.

"I brought my badge too. Just in case."

"Just in case?" he questioned.

"I heard football games could get pretty wild." Scotty grinned.

"You brought it in case anyone hits on you, didn't you?" She shrugged, feigning indifference.

"I thought that was why I had you."

"Nah, I'm only here to embarrass you with personal displays of affection."

Lilly grimaced.

"As long as our faces don't end up on the big screen, surrounded by a love heart and giant writing that says 'Kiss Me'," she grumbled. Scotty laughed.

"I guess I better tell them not to flash up 'I love Lilly Rush' during half-time," he replied casually.

His partner stopped, staring at him in amazement.

"Seriously?" He laughed again, throwing an arm around her shoulders.

"No, Lil." Lilly relaxed, breathing out a small sigh of relief.

"Good. You would have been sleeping on the sofa if you had."

"I know. That's why I didn't do it."

* * *

Scotty squeezed Lilly's shoulder affectionately. She looked up at him curiously.

"What?" she asked, a smile playing around her lips. Scotty shrugged.

"Nothin'. I just realised that I like spendin' time with you." Lilly laughed, nudging him with her elbow.

"You've only just worked that out?"

Her partner groaned.

"No, Lil! What I meant was…" She silenced him with a kiss.

"I know what you meant. And I like spending time with you too. Especially when you buy me a huge bag of popcorn."

Scotty rolled his eyes, kissing the top of her head.

"Hey, Lil, you want some popcorn?" The blonde detective smiled sweetly.

"Yes, please." He began making his way back down the row.

"Scotty?" The male detective turned back, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"What's up?" Lilly fluttered her eyelashes appealingly.

"Can you get a drink as well?"

* * *

The Eagles lost.

"We should have got that extra point," Scotty grumbled. Lilly smiled, squeezing his hand.

"But 24 was offside. AJ Feeley had to run miles, just so he could stand a chance of catching the ball, let alone heading for a touchdown," she pointed out. Her partner looked down at her in amazement. She giggled at the look of surprise on his face.

"You don't like football!" he said incredulously.

Lilly stood on tiptoes to kiss him.

"Just because I don't like it doesn't mean I don't know stuff about it," she murmured against his lips. Scotty laughed, making his way towards the exit, joining the surge of people.

"Remind me to never take you to a football game again," he joked. Lilly grinned, giving his hand another squeeze.

"Fine with me."

* * *

"We're being followed," Lilly said, leaning into her boyfriend's side. He looked down at her, throwing an arm around her shoulders.

"I know. Male, early forties, blonde hair?" Lilly stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek.

"I hate being followed." Scotty ran a hand over her arms.

"Let's wait an' see what he does." Lilly appeared to think for a moment, before shrugging.

"I'm impatient."

Three things happened at once. Lilly stopped walking. She spun around, drawing her weapon and pointing it at the man who was following her. Scotty held up his police badge, showing it to the concerned crowds.

"Lil, you coulda told me you were gonna draw!" Scotty called with a roll of his eyes. Lilly kept her weapon focused on the man.

"Well, you know how I feel about being followed!" she called in reply.

Two security guards hurried up. Scotty showed them his badge, assuring them that Lilly was also a detective. Seeing the situation was under control, the guards ushered the crowd away, and they continued to hurry out of the stadium.

The male detective moved to his partner's side. Lilly didn't take her eyes off the man that had been following them.

"Why are you following us?" she demanded. He held up his hands, swallowing hard.

"Put the gun down," he pleaded. Smiling coldly, Lilly shrugged.

"What do you think, Valens?" Scotty chuckled mercilessly.

"Oh, now you're in shit, man," he said, addressing their follower, "She's pissed." The man held at gunpoint blanched visibly.

"Please, I just…"

Lilly took her finger off the trigger, but kept the weapon aimed. Scotty chuckled. _Does she know how much Bad Cop Lilly turns me on?_

"Name?"

"Stuart Devlin."

"Reason for stalking two Homicide detectives?" Scotty said. Devlin trembled, and with a roll of her eyes, Lilly lowered her weapon.

Devlin breathed out in relief, wiping a hand across his brow.

"You're Rush and Valens, right?" Lilly gasped in mock astonishment.

"Wow, Scotty, he's psychic too!"

"No, no! You're investigating the murder of Kate Marsden?" The two detectives exchanged meaningful glances.

"I think this conversation should be finished at the station," Lilly said. Devlin held out his hands.

"NO! Look, I loved Kate. She was, like, my best friend! I use to work for Michael Marsden, and I remember one day, the day Kate was killed, he left work early. No excuse, nothing."

Scotty folded his arms. Lilly holstered her pistol, no longer considering Stuart Devlin a threat.

"Do you feel like finishing this now?" she asked Scotty quietly. He shook his head.

"This guy ain't gonna do anythin'. Let him loose." The blonde detective nodded in agreement.

"We'll be in touch," she said, eyeing Devlin distastefully. _If there's one thing I hate more than serial killers and rapists, it's pathetic little men who stalk Homicide detectives._

He nodded reluctantly, handing over a crumpled business card.

"Guess I might as well make it easy for you." Lilly smirked.

"Next time, I won't hesitate to put a bullet in your chest."

Scotty stifled a laugh as Devlin hurried away, casting anxious looks over his shoulder. He made his way in front of his partner, looping an arm around her waist.

"Some game, huh?" he teased. Lilly shrugged nonchalantly.

"I guess it might be growing on me."

* * *

What can I say? I grew up in New York. The Giants are my home team. Sorry to any Philadelphians who took offense at losing. You know what you could do? Leave me a review. That way, I can hear all your comments about football. And the chapter, obviously...


	5. Friday's Child Is

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT. READ (AND REVIEW) AT YOUR OWN RISK!**

A/N So here's the thing. I've never been to Philadelphia in my life. I don't know the Philly PD building, and I don't know the bars. I DO know that this bar is not McGinty's, and the event is NOT First Thursday's. It's just a drink. In a bar. On a Friday. The other thing I know is that this chapter gets a bit steamy. If you don't like it, don't read it, OK? Thanks!

Disclaimer: Can't...quite...reach...the...ownership...papers...

* * *

The door swung shut, a cold gust of air rustling the pictures on the wall. Removing her coat, Lilly hung it up on the rack, following the sounds of laughter over to their regular table. Seeing her approach, Jeffries raised his bottle.

"You made it." She nodded, looking around the table.

"Yeah."

Scotty stood up, sliding out of the booth. He grinned at her, and winked, allowing her to slide in beside Miller.

"What are you drinking, Lil?" Stillman asked. She shrugged.

"Whatever's going," she replied.

Scotty stretched his arm along the booth, his fingers hovering just above Lilly's shoulder. _So much for keeping this professional,_ she thought, a wry smile spreading from her lips. Miller shook her head.

"I can't believe it's Friday again already." Vera chuckled.

"Time fly's when you're havin' fun."

* * *

John Stillman was a good detective. For him, criminals were as easy to read as a book. His team, on the other hand…His team was a book written in five different languages. _Five different languages based on different origins._

Chuckling, Stillman reached for his beer, allowing his eyes to wander around the tavern. His three older detectives stood by the dartboard. Miller glared at Vera, who merely smirked in return. Stillman took a sip from the bottle, shaking his head. They could pretend to hate each other as much as they liked, but deep down, a deep affection ran between the two. Jeffries caught his boss' eye, and smiled knowingly.

_My life has become 'The Young And The Restless', _he thought. _Talking of the young and the restless…_ Stillman turned his head to watch Valens and Rush on the dance floor. They were both laughing, laughing so hard that they had to lean on each other for support.

His face softening, Stillman watched Lilly, the woman he had come to think of as a daughter, place a kiss to her partner's chin, still laughing. He wasn't surprised that the chemistry between her and Scotty had finally overheated. In her rare, unguarded moments, of which this appeared to be one, Lilly Rush was simply stunning.

_And by God does she deserve this, _he thought fondly. _It's about time she had someone to love her properly._

* * *

The song changed, leaving the upbeat country beats behind for something slower. Scotty looked down at his partner, noting the subtle tilt of her head. He felt a smile break across his face at the questioning, yet slightly amused, glint in her eye.

**When you love someone- you'll do anything.**

**You'll do all the crazy things that you can't explain.**

**You'll shoot the moon, put out the sun,**

**When you love someone.**

The male detective reached for her hand, and Lilly stepped towards him. Taken aback at the heat in his gaze, she planted a soft kiss to the corner of his lips, looping her arms around his neck.

**When you love someone- you'll sacrifice.**

**You'd give it everything you got and you won't think twice.**

**You'd risk it all, no matter what may come.**

**When you love someone.**

Scotty felt his breath hitch at the way her body fit perfectly against his. Lilly sighed, pressing her cheek into the crook of his neck.

"I love you," she breathed. He smoothed circles on her back, swaying gently.

"I love you too," he replied. Lilly smiled softly.

"Are they still watching us?" she murmured.

"Who?"

"Boss and Vera." Scotty cast a quick glance in their direction, and chuckled.

"Yep."

"You'd think they'd have better stuff to do." He shrugged, nudging her nose with his.

"You sayin' you ain't worth it?" Lilly grinned.

"I'm sayin' Boss and Jeffries aren't exactly my type."

* * *

Scotty watched Lilly at the bar with Miller. The dark haired detective glowered in Vera's direction, saying something to her colleague. Lilly laughed, a proper laugh that sent shivers down Scotty's spine.

Stillman followed his gaze, smiling knowingly.

"She looks happy, Valens." Scotty nodded, taking a sip of beer. His eyes remained fixed on his partner, on the way her blonde hair shone in the dim lighting of the bar.

"Yeah," the younger detective agreed.

Lilly caught Scotty looking at her, and smiled knowingly. He grinned, taking another sip of beer. His partner whispered something in Kat's ear, and Kat laughed. Lilly slid off her stool, walking back to the table. Stillman raised his bottle in greeting.

"Lil." She smiled, before turning her gaze to her partner.

"You keep staring at me."

He grinned cheekily, shrugging.

"View's not bad." Stillman sighed, and slid out of the booth.

"Some things are not meant for my ears," he muttered, sidling off to play pool with Jeffries.

Scotty pulled Lilly down into his lap. She kissed him.

"We were going to act like we were just friends," she said, her lips pressed against his.

"You shouldn't look so damn hot then." Lilly smirked.

"Sorry." Scotty grinned, shaking his head.

"What the hell you apologizin' for?"

Laughing, Lilly tugged on his hand, pulling him towards the dark outside. From their seats at separate ends of the bar, Vera and Miller exchanged disgusted looks, before simultaneously reaching for their beers. Scotty pushed the door shut behind them, sliding a chair under the handle. His partner turned, and he felt his heart swell at the adorable half-smile hovering around her lips.

He reached out, and suddenly had a small warm body in his arms. Scotty pressed Lilly against the wall, his hands roaming feverishly over her body. Lilly gasped, and she moaned softly as Scotty's tongue caused havoc around her ear.

Lilly bit her lip as her partner pressed his hips against hers, sending heat rocketing through her system. Feeling his obvious hardness on her thigh, the female detective drew his mouth to hers, their kiss like searing heat in the cool night.

The air around them was heavy with lust, raw and consuming. Holding onto his shirt collar, Lilly dragged Scotty behind a large pile of boxes, out of sight from anyone who happened to break down the back door.

Scotty managed to tear his lips from hers, feeling the burn of her hands under his shirt.

"They're goin' to notice we're missin'," he said breathlessly. Lilly smirked, sliding her hand down to cup him through his trousers. Scotty let out a strangled gasp.

"You know you can't go back in there like that, right?" she said softly. He swallowed.

"Right." Lilly leant forward to place a lingering kiss on his lips.

"So maybe we should take care of that," she whispered seductively. His eyes widened.

"Here?" he asked in a choked voice. Lilly pulled back suddenly, leaving her partner 'standing' bereft. She frowned in mock concern.

"You're right. This isn't very comfortable." Turning on her heel, Lilly headed back towards the bar.

Scotty hurried to catch her wrist, pulling her back behind the boxes. He pinned her arms above her head. Lilly's smirk grew. Scotty brushed his nose against her ear, his breath warm on her cheek.

"No, no, no. You can't just leave me out here," he whispered huskily.

She laughed, reaching down between them to undo his black pants.

"That wasn't very nice of me." Grinning, Scotty undid her shirt, moving his lips down her throat. Lilly struggled for breath, pushing his pants down over his hips.

As Scotty turned his attention to the zip on her slacks, Lilly pulled back to study him.

"Did you block that door?"

"Yes, Lil. No-one can come out here." She smirked teasingly.

"Good. Now, where were we?" she whispered. Scotty grinned, moving his hand further up her body to her breast.

"About here, I think."

* * *

A while later (long enough to 'take care of the problem', but quick enough for their absence to have gone unnoticed by most), Lilly and Scotty hastily redressed themselves. The blonde detective giggled, biting her bottom lip as she fumbled with her buttons.

Hearing her laugh, Scotty kissed her neck, failing to suppress his own chuckle at the giveaway flush still lingering on her skin.

"I say we take this party home," he murmured, his voice lost in her neck. Lilly giggled again, nodding her head.

"I agree."

Sharing a few last hurried kisses, and wearing matching grins, the couple finally made it back into the bar. Miller looked up as they approached, hand in hand. She took in their dishevelled clothing. Scotty grinned sheepishly.

"We're, uh, gonna, uh…" Lilly giggled, burying her face in the back of his shirt.

Vera rolled his eyes.

"You make me sick. Get lost," he grumbled. Miller shook her head in disbelief as the couple all but ran out of the bar.

"She giggled. Well, I'll be damned. Rush giggled."

* * *

Down girl! Hee hee hee...You gotta love the 'sex in random places' game! PLEASE please please leave me a review! I really am trying to get to 100. Boy, do I have a long way to go...


	6. Burn

**WARNING: MATURE CONTENT AHEAD- READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!**

A/NI am SO SO sorry that I took so long to update. But I need your help, you guys! I need conversation topics for Vera and Miller on their 'not a date'. Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. This picks up pretty much exactly where the last chapter left off. It's complete and utter SMUT. Hence the **M **rating...But you know the drill- read and review please!

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Scotty. Damn, would we have some fun. Ooops, sorry Parker, sweetie.

* * *

Scotty blinked in surprise as Lilly appeared in the doorway.

"Scotty, can you get me the hairdryer?" she asked. He felt his mouth run dry, and his eyes flicked over her slim figure. Lilly was wearing only a towel, the hem ending just above her knees. Her legs seemed to go on forever.

Getting no reply, Lilly looked up.

"Scotty?" He blinked again, clearing his throat. _Damn if that…'solution', didn't fry my brain._

"Uh…what?" Lilly smirked, her eyes twinkling in amusement.

"The hairdryer, Valens."

Scotty chuckled in embarrassment, all the lust leftover from the bar returning with a vengeance. He tossed his t-shirt to the floor, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks.

"Damn, you look hot," he muttered. Lilly giggled, leaning against the doorframe, loose tendrils of blonde hair framing her face.

Reaching for the dryer, Scotty carried it across to his partner. Smirking, he stood close; close enough to feel the heat pulsing from her body. He held the hairdryer just out of reach.

"Come and get it, Rush," he murmured seductively. Lilly gave a small sigh, frowning petulantly. She leant forward, brushing her lips over his.

The kiss, which was only meant to be a distraction, soon began to heat up. The hairdryer fell to the floor, and Scotty's hands were suddenly all over her body. Lilly tilted her head back, deepening their kiss. His hands came to rest in her hair, tangling through the damp locks.

The male detective pressed her against the wall, breaking their kiss to allow his tongue to trail down her neck. Her hands scorched patterns across his chest. Of all the times they had gone together, never had the lust been so intense, so carnal. It was like they were finding each other for the first time, their passion fuelled by the thrill of discovery. He tugged at the towel, needing to feel her fevered skin against his.

As a wash of cool air rushed across her damp skin, Lilly released a soft moan. To Scotty's impassioned senses, the sound could not have been sexier. His lips latched on to her clavicle, earning another sound Lilly thought she was incapable of making. She reached between them, feeling the evidence of his arousal straining at the thin material of his pyjama bottoms.

She pushed the pants down his legs, allowing them to drop to the floor. Feeling Lilly take him in her hands, Scotty felt a cry tear from his throat. Her nimble fingers stroked the length of him, the demands of her fingertips almost pushing Scotty over the edge. He couldn't stand it any more. The woman was driving him insane.

Bringing his lips back to hers, Scotty moved Lilly towards the bed, and they collapsed onto the mattress in a sweaty heap. Their tongues fought together, sending shivers shooting through her body. Her hands gripped his broad shoulders. Lilly's panting breaths hugged his ear, and he managed to regain some form of control.

Scotty reached a hand between their sweat-covered bodies. Her thighs parted on their own accord, allowing him to find her centre. He chewed lightly on the soft skin of her earlobe. Lilly cried out in delight as his thumb traced delicate circles over the swollen bud.

"Please…Scotty," she begged breathlessly.

His own lust was fast becoming intolerable, and seeing his partner writhing in pleasure beneath him, Scotty could stand the pressure no more. He withdrew his hand, smirking as Lilly whimpered from the loss of contact. He turned away, just long enough to roll on a condom. When he looked back, Lilly was watching him, her eyes still dark with unconcealed lust.

With an intoxicated grin and a tilt of her head, she beckoned him back to her side.

Scotty quickly attacked her lips, tasting the mixture of sweat, and what he had come to know as pure Lilly. His tongue scraped the roof of her mouth, desperate to taste every part of her.

"Scotty…" she pleaded. He ran his hands over her waist, his thumb brushing the soft underside of her breast.

"Jesus, Scotty…" Her voice was laden with sex, and before she could undo him with further words, Scotty positioned himself above her entrance. Lilly clutched at the back of his neck as he entered her. He cried out her name, absolute pleasure controlling every sensory neuron in his body.

She gasped, waiting for her body to adjust to the size of him. The feel of her walls completely surrounding him almost made Scotty come there and then. Lilly called out, her eyes squeezed shut at the intensity of what she was feeling.

"Scotty," she whispered, burying her face in the crook of his neck. He began to move, slow thrusts that were driving her crazy.

Lilly screamed in pleasure, digging her nails into her partner's back. Scotty moved his hand to her breast, his thumb brushing over her hardened nipple. Somewhere amidst the lust and exertion, Scotty realised that her breasts fit perfectly into the palm of his hand, and he massaged them gently. The blonde detective kissed his neck, her slick body moving in time with his. Scotty moaned, feeling the pressure begin to mount.

"Lil…" he groaned.

She opened her eyes, the blue orbs clouded with lust.

"Harder," she gasped, throwing her head back. Scotty pounded into her, no longer caring about being gentle. His mouth was hot against her fevered skin, sucking at the space between her breasts. Lilly called out his name, her hands fisting in the sheets.

"Scotty!"

She bent her knees, allowing him to penetrate further with each thrust. He removed his hand from her breast, pinning her arms above her head. Lilly gasped his name as her peak approached quickly. Hearing her breathless cries drove Scotty further towards the edge.

As Scotty flicked his tongue over her erect nipple, Lilly felt her body tense, and was certain that nothing could compare to this feeling of complete and utter fullness. Trembling as she cried out her release, Lilly began to ride out the wave of pleasure. She arched her back, allowing Scotty to thrust deep inside her, and her hands on his thighs brought him even closer. Her muscles clenching around him, mixed with her screams of delight, proved to be more than Scotty could handle.

He panted her name, and with one final thrust, Scotty spilled himself, shouting out in ecstasy. Lilly cried out at the feeling, the room spinning wildly through her hazy eyes.

"Holy mother of God…" Scotty gasped breathlessly. His arms went weak, and he dropped onto her chest.

Their heavy, ragged breathing was the only sound in the room. Her fingers moved up his back to his shoulders, feeling the taut, sweaty muscles under her hand. When he could move again, Scotty rolled off her, collapsing in a spent mound on the bed. Taking a deep breath, he quickly disposed of the condom, hugging Lilly towards him. She snuggled closer, the sweat cooling rapidly on their bodies.

Scotty kissed the top of her head, wrapping his arms around her slim waist. She rested her cheek against his chest, listening to the erratic thump of his heartbeat. Holding her close, Scotty yawned.

"Love you, Lil," he murmured. Lilly settled down beside him, closing her eyes.

"Love you too."

* * *

Lilly yawned, stretching out in the bed. Her eyes shot open as she felt the cool space beside her.

"Scotty?" she mumbled sleepily. Getting no reply, the detective sat up, holding the sheet to her chest.

Olivia jumped up onto the bed, mewing at the disruption of her routine. Lilly smiled.

"I know, I know. It's not my fault he's not here. And I'm already up, so you can't harass me." Reaching out a hand, Lilly stroked her cat's head, the fur soft beneath her fingers.

"Where is he, Liv?"

The cat purred contentedly. Sighing, the detective stood up, bending down to pick up the shirt Scotty had discarded the night before. Slipping it over her arms and doing up the buttons, Lilly felt a smile spread from her lips at the pleasant ache beginning in all the right places. Olivia wound herself around the woman's legs, mewling plaintively.

"When did you get so impatient?" Lilly muttered, slipping on a pair of black lace panties.

Lilly opened the bedroom door, and was instantly hit by the smell of fresh fruit, toast and freshly brewed coffee. Smiling, she headed to the kitchen. Scotty stood in front of the stove, pouring the coffee into two mugs. He was wearing nothing but the pair of pyjama bottoms Lilly had removed from him the night before.

"Morning," Lilly said quietly. Her partner turned, grinning.

"Well, I gotta say, Rush, that shirt looks much better on you than me."

She laughed, sliding her arms around his waist.

"I'll take that as a compliment," she replied, standing on tiptoes to kiss the back of his neck. He chuckled. Tripod and Olivia hovered around their feet, pawing at Lilly's bare legs. She studied the muscular planes of Scotty's back, running her fingertips across the ten semi-circular marks disfiguring his skin.

"Mine," she said with a smirk. As he turned around to meet her lips, a crooked smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, Scotty nodded.

"Yours."

* * *

Well, that's all folks! BTW, can anyone remember the name of Lilly's therapist from Season 5? And both the cats ARE female, right? Click the little purple button. Or gray. Oh no, here we go again. The Voices are totally demanding more reviews.


	7. Bringing The Mountain

A/N Where'd all my loyal reviewers go? Three reviews. THREE. And I am very upset. On a happier note, I need your help, otherwise Chapter 8 won't be able to go up, 'cause it ain't finished! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Maybe you could leave them in a review. I really would like to try and get up to 40. Please.

Disclaimer: I don't own Cold Case. I do own two cats that are very upset with the lack of love (Mobster accent) SHOW ME THE LOVIN'!

* * *

After a weekend that was spent alternating between making love, watching films and reviewing the case files, Lilly only dropped Scotty's hand when he pushed open the department doors. Much to their surprise, Vera was already slouched at his desk, glaring at his coffee cup.

Jeffries raised a hand in greeting, smiling. Vera watched the couple through narrowed eyes as they removed their coats, hanging them on the backs of their chairs.

"You two look way too happy for a Monday mornin'," the burly detective grumbled.

Scotty shrugged, a crooked grin spreading from his lips.

"Guess we just slept well." Lilly stifled a laugh. Vera took the last donut from the box, studying the couple carefully.

"If that ain't after-glow then I don't know what the hell is!" he exclaimed enviously.

Miller walked in just in time to hear Vera's exclamation.

"Who got laid?" she asked, reaching over to snatch the donut from his hand.

"They did," Vera grumbled, glaring at Miller, who was now chomping happily on the pastry. Jeffries chuckled, looking between the four.

"You guys crack me up," he laughed.

Vera glared at him.

"Glad we're good for somethin'," he replied sarcastically. Lilly arched an eyebrow.

"Slightly bitter this mornin', Vera?" she asked teasingly.

Before the burly detective could reply, Stillman strode into the squad room, and all childish conversations were stopped.

"Morning, boss!" they chorused. He smiled.

"Morning. So, where are we with the case?"

Scotty held out a case file.

"We're getting there, boss," Miller replied. Stillman nodded seriously.

"I want this guy locked up. He's got away with it for far too long."

* * *

Later that morning, Miller stormed into the department, causing Lilly and Scotty to look up in surprise.

"What the f…hell is wrong with this city?" Vera arrived behind her, red-faced and puffing for breath.

"Jesus, Kat," he wheezed, "who stuck a rocket up your ass?"

The two youngest detectives exchanged concerned, yet slightly amused, glances, and sat back in their seats. Miller slammed her coffee cup down on her desk.

"That jumped up, good for nothin'…"

"For God's sake," Vera groaned.

She turned to hit him upside the head. Lilly and Scotty tried unsuccessfully to stifle their laughs, grinning as their colleague continued on her tirade.

"I am not being insulted by some overgrown Barbie doll in a Hooters t-shirt!"

Lilly snorted, burying her face in her hands. Scotty failed to stop his own chuckle at the sight of her trembling shoulders. Miller whirled around to face them, her face dark with fury.

"You think this is funny?"

The couple tried to straighten their faces, shaking their heads innocently. Miller spoke again.

"You wanna know what she said?" Vera shook his head from behind her, his eyes widening ominously. Frowning slightly, Scotty shrugged. Miller glared over her shoulder at the burly detective.

"She said fatass here was my boyfriend!"

This time, Lilly and Scotty were laughing so hard, Stillman stuck his head out of his office to tell them to keep it down.

* * *

The rest of the morning passed quickly, and without any major disasters. Tensions were running high, each detective eager to find the evidence they were hunting for.

The sharp trill of a phone disturbed the silence. Kat picked up her phone, returning Vera's glare.

"Miller," she answered. She listened for a moment, her face turning pale.

Muttering thanks, she put the phone down. Vera, minus the glare, stood up in concern.

"What's up?" Kat felt her eyes fill.

"Veronica's fallen off the jungle gym. They're taking her to Penn." Lilly gasped.

"Is she OK?"

Miller shrugged. Scotty jogged across to get her coat. He gave Miller a brief smile, nudging her towards the door.

"Call us?" She nodded, hurrying out.

Lilly studied Vera carefully. He cleared his throat.

"What?" he asked defensively. She smiled knowingly. Scotty grinned.

"Go now an' you can still catch her."

For a man of his size, Vera moved surprisingly quickly. Watching him run out of the department, the blonde detective turned back to her partner, frowning slightly.

"So how long do you think it'll take them to work it out?"

Scotty raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Vera and Miller? Seriously? Come on, Lil. Never gonna happen." His girlfriend smirked.

"That's what they said about us, Valens." He was silent for a while.

"I think a few years. They ain't as smart as us."

"Scotty, it took **us** four years."

* * *

"How's the kid?" Jeffries called. Vera removed his coat, draping across the back of his seat.

"Broken arm. Nasty cut on her head." Lilly appeared beside him, handing him a cup of strong coffee. He smiled gratefully.

"How's Kat?" she asked.

"Doin' worse than the girl."

"So what happened?" Jeffries asked, returning from the break room. Vera shrugged.

"Kid was playing on the jungle gym, fell off, hit her head on one o' the bars. They're keepin' her in overnight just in case." Lilly winced.

"I always knew jungle gyms were dangerous," she murmured. Vera grinned.

"You're kids will be goin' to school wearin' safety gear?" he teased. The blonde nodded absent-mindedly, her attention focused on the case file.

"If that's the only way they can be safe," she replied distractedly.

The two men exchanged disbelieving looks. Jeffries cleared his throat.

"So, you an' Valens talked about having kids, Lil?"

Her head shot up, eyes widening to give her the all-too-familiar 'deer in the headlights' look.

"What? No. Huh? What…no….we haven't…what? I have to go," she stammered, bolting into the break room.

Vera and Jeffries watched her disappear, smirking triumphantly. The large detective chuckled, his deep voice resonating around them.

"Well, well, well…"

* * *

"Basically, we have nothin'," Scotty grumbled. Lilly sighed.

"No, not nothing. Just…not very much."

He scrubbed a hand over his face.

"OK. So Adam says that he overheard his Dad at confession a few weeks ago. Fits in with what we already learnt from family friends about them goin' to church." Lilly nodded, picking up the story.

"Kate's body was found in the alleyway that runs alongside the church. Original investigation suggested that maybe she'd walked in on a drug deal, and the doer took her out."

"Got rid of the witness," Scotty suggested.

"But Marsden admitted killing her. Adam heard him. 'I killed her, David! I killed my wife!' Surely that has to count for something."

"But he coulda been talkin' figuratively, or…maybe Adam jus' misheard."

"I guess. What about Stuart Devlin? He remembered seeing Marsden leave work early, but the medical examiner put TOD at 9pm. Marsden didn't have any reason to leave early."

Scotty tapped his pen on the desk, thinking hard.

"Maybe he had somewhere else to be? Maybe he was doin' a bit of private investigatin' into his wife and Devlin?"

Lilly sighed again.

"We still don't have the murder weapon."

"Nope. Search warrant turned up nothin' of interest."

"So it's not at his home. And it wasn't found in the alleyway. And Marsden's had six months to get rid of the gun."

Lilly sat on the edge of Scotty's desk, her crossed legs hanging down beside him. She was reading the folder, eyes narrowed in concentration. Scotty sat back in his chair and folded his arms behind his head, his elbows brushing against her leg.

"You got anythin' from his record, Lil?" She shook her head.

"Only that he was arrested for a DUI, almost a year ago."

Scotty gave her a tired grin.

"How about we call it a night? Me an' you can go get somethin' to eat." Lilly smiled gratefully.

"You sure know the way to a woman's heart, Valens." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"I do, do I?" She rolled her eyes, standing up to retrieve her coat.

"Idiot," she replied affectionately. Scotty grinned, watching her retreating figure. Catching the smile she tossed back over her shoulder, he stood up.

"Hey, Lil?" The blonde detective turned.

"I love you, ya know."

Lilly nodded.

"I know. I love you too."

Before she could do anything else, Scotty was behind her, his hands resting lightly on her hips. He planted a soft kiss to the back of her head.

"I was thinkin'. You wanna drop by the hospital an' see Veronica? Seein' as she's staying overnight an' all."

Lilly turned in his arms, smirking.

"Why, Scotty Valens, you're nothin' but a big marshmallow." He raised an eyebrow, linking his hands at the small of her back.

"Marshmallow?" Lilly nodded teasingly.

"Yeah. You know, soft and fluffy."

Scotty scowled in mock fierceness.

"Me? I ain't soft. I'm hard," he pouted. Lilly pecked him on the lips.

"Just keep telling yourself that, Valens."

* * *

Lilly entangled their fingers as Scotty pushed open the double doors. Seeing them approach the desk, the nurse smiled.

"How can I help ya'll?"

"We're lookin' for Veronica Miller?" Scotty said. The nurse nodded, pointing to a side room.

Lilly leant over the desk, lowering her voice.

"I brought her a present. An edible present. Is that OK?" The nurse chuckled, checking her patient notes.

"Uh huh, sweetie. She's not on any major medication. Jus' some painkillers. She should be fine."

"Thanks," Scotty said gratefully, leading his partner away.

Lilly tapped on the door. Veronica and her mother looked up, their faces breaking into identical grins.

"Hey Lilly!" the little girl said. Scotty walked into the room behind his girlfriend.

"That's some cast you got there, champ!" he said in surprise. Miller rolled her eyes. Veronica giggled.

"Hi, Scotty!"

The blonde detective moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, wrinkling her nose. The child nodded solemnly.

"Uh huh." Lilly rummaged around in the paper bag, pulling out a tub of ice cream. Kat shook her head.

"Surprised you ain't the size of a house," she said.

Scotty chuckled. _We burn it all off. _Hearing his laugh, Lilly turned to catch his eye. From the mischievous grin on her face, he knew she was probably thinking the same thing. Fishing out three spoons from the bag, Lilly handed one each to Veronica and Kat, pushing the ice cream towards them.

"Cherry Garcia! My favourite!" Veronica squealed. Lilly widened her eyes in mock astonishment.

"It is? Really? Mine too!" she said incredulously. Miller laughed, knowing full well that Lilly's favourite ice cream was chocolate-chocolate-chip. _Who'd have thought Rush was so good with kids?_

"Are you sure this is alright? I don't want no doctors breathin' down my neck."

The blonde detective nodded.

"I checked with the nurse on the way in." Miller nodded.

"OK. You better not get me in trouble, Rush." Lilly ignored the final comment.

"Dig in. Hospital food just doesn't do it," she said.

Scotty tugged gently on her ponytail, pouting slightly.

"What, I don't get any?" Lilly smirked, rolling her eyes.

"You don't like Cherry Garcia. There's a tub of Chocolate Fudge Brownie in the other bag, in the car. You can have it later."

Scotty grinned.

"You know me too well, Lil." She tossed a flirty smile over her shoulder.

"I do, don't I?" Veronica giggled, and Lilly blushed under Miller's glare.

"Keep it clean, please," the curly-haired detective warned. Scotty's grin only grew.

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

They didn't stay at the hospital for long. After leaving Miller, Scotty had driven across town to 'the finest diner in town'. Marcus grinned as they entered, and the couple were quickly seated at the counter.

"Evenin', 'tectives. "

Di appeared in front of them, holding two plates of pasta. Smiling broadly, she placed the food on the counter.

"Thought you two might be comin' round sometime tonight, so I had this ready an' waiting." The blonde detective smiled, inhaling the scent of tomatoes, basil and cheese.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

The diner owner watched as they picked at their meals, satisfied smiles hanging around their lips.

"Now, how is that poor child? Her arm fixed?" Lilly nodded.

"It was a clean break. The cast will come off in a couple of weeks."

Scotty stuffed a mouthful of pasta into his mouth, sighing in ecstasy.

"Damn, Di, you been stealin' Mama's recipes again? This is amazin'." Lilly rolled her eyes.

"Close your mouth, Scotty." Di chuckled.

"No, child, I haven't been stealin' your Mama's recipes. Nine times outta ten, she stealin' 'em from me."

* * *

Lilly studied a picture on the wall.

"Is that you?" she asked curiously. Scotty squinted to get a better look. After a second, he rolled his eyes.

"Di! Thought you an' Mama weren't gonna keep puttin' pictures up?"

The woman behind the counter laughed.

"How many times you in here, and you've only just noticed that?" she teased. Scotty sighed, turning back to his partner.

"How'd you spot that anyway?" Lilly shrugged.

"I'm observant.

Di chuckled.

"I guess we know who's the better detective." Scotty grinned, and reached up for the photo.

"Didn't know there was any question," he replied cockily.

Lilly slapped his arm, narrowing her eyes menacingly.

"Careful, Valens…" she warned. Scotty widened his eyes innocently, feigning nonchalance.

"I meant you, Lil. Who'd you think I was talkin' about?" The blonde detective rolled her eyes.

"Nice save. Now give me the damn frame." He handed it to Lilly.

"Take a good look, 'cause that's the last time you're gonna see that picture." His girlfriend smirked. Studying the picture, she frowned, turning the image on its side to look at it from a different angle.

"Are you sure that's you?" Lilly questioned doubtfully.

"Hey, I was a goofy lookin' kid!" he defended.

The blonde detective laughed, and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. She handed the photo back to Di.

"Can I get a copy of that?"

"Sure thing, honey," the older woman replied, chuckling.

Scotty looked from Lilly to Di, and back again.

"Why do I feel like you're gangin' up on me?"

Before she could reply, Lilly's cell phone rang. Glaring at it, she flipped it open.

"Rush," she answered.

"Lil, it's me," Miller began. The scowl disappeared from the blonde's face as quickly as it had arrived.

"Oh, hey."

Miller cleared her throat.

"Can you do me a favour?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"I need a change of clothes, and Veronica needs some pyjamas. You got time to swing by my place and pick some stuff up?"

Lilly quickly explained the situation to her partner, and he nodded.

"We'll be there in twenty minutes, OK?"

"Thanks, Rush. Neighbour's got the key."

* * *

Lilly almost ran into him as she stepped out of the elevator.

"Yo, watch it, lady!" said an angry voice. The blonde detective looked up in surprise.

"Vera?" He blinked, realising who he had walked into.

"Lil! What, uh, what…what are you doing here?" he said awkwardly, running a hand over his head.

Lilly smirked.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," she said in amusement. Vera looked away. _Is he…blushing? _Lilly thought incredulously.

"I just, uh…you know, uh…goin' to, uh, get some, uh, coffee…" he replied sheepishly. Lilly laughed.

"Relax. I won't say anything."

Vera nodded.

"Yeah, well," he replied gruffly. His colleague smirked infuriatingly.

"Since you're here," she began pointedly, "maybe you can take these to Miller?" He nodded, desperate to get her out of his face.

"Sure, Rush. I, uh, I'll just, uh…"

She stepped back into the waiting elevator. Just as the doors were about to close, Lilly turned around.

"Hey, Nick?"

"What?"

"She appreciates it, you know." He frowned in confusion.

"She's a kid. Jus' wanted to make sure she was, uh…"

Lilly smiled.

"I wasn't talking about Veronica."

* * *

I don't know what's going on with Kat and Vera. Sigh. Box of oatmeal for the first person to review. Hint hint.


	8. Not A Date?

A/N Sigh. This chapter was an absolute ass to write- that's why it took me so long to update! Two of these guys just would not co-operate! Sigh. What am I gonna do with them? Just for the sakes of this chapter, let's pretend that during my first story 'Better This Way', Vera and that nurse lady were together, and then threy broke up. Got it? Anyway, I hope it's acceptable, and rest assured, I have the next couple of chapters lined up and ready to go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Cold Case. Sorry, too bored of writing these to be original.

* * *

Listening to Lilly and Scotty repeat their summary of the evidence, Stillman wasn't happy.

"Hunt down this Stuart Devlin. Find out what else he knows about Kate Marsden and the relationship between her and her husband. And ask him how he found out you two were investigating."

The two youngest detectives exchanged glances, and grabbed their coats.

"Keys," Scotty said, raising his hand. Lilly rolled her eyes, throwing the keys into his outstretched hand.

"Back later, boss," she said darkly, forcefully pushing her partner in the direction of the doors.

Stillman shook his head, turning to his other detectives.

"Will, call Jodie Reynolds. Get an update on the children." The big man nodded, turning to his desk.

The lieutenant turned to the remaining members of his team.

"Nick, Kat, I need you to wait here for Rush and Valens. Call Marsden's company, see if he's had any contact with them. Also, I want traces on his cell number and credit cards."

"On it, boss," Miller replied

Vera grunted in reply, scowling at his boss' retreating back. Seeing the stony look on his face, Miller slid the remaining donut across the table. Vera mumbled his thanks, half of the pastry already disappearing down his throat. Miller watched him chew dejectedly.

"You gonna tell me why you've got a face like a smacked ass?" she asked gently.

Vera sighed.

"Toni left. Goin' south to stay with the folks," he muttered. Miller's face fell, and she leant forward to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Nick." He avoided her gaze, shrugging.

"I'm OK. We broke up anyway. Guess maybe she'll be back." The burly detective attempted a smile. "Least I don't have to eat none of that healthy crap."

Miller chuckled, patting his arm.

"This ain't the best time to be askin', but Veronica wanted to know when Uncle Nick was coming for dinner. Said I'd ask you today," she said, almost sheepishly. Vera chuckled.

"That would be…nice."

"Be there at 6?" she replied.

"Thanks."

The female detective nodded, heading for the door. When her hand was on the handle, Vera cleared his throat, making her turn back.

"Kat?"

"Yeah?"

"None of that healthy crap," he said gruffly. She chuckled.

"None of that healthy crap."

* * *

Without Lilly and Scotty to provide any in-house entertainment, Vera's boredom only grew with every new piece of paper and every pointless phone call. Sensing his frustration, Miller chuckled.

"I think Veronica has a longer attention span than you." Vera grinned.

"Don't doubt it."

Casting a quick look around the squad room, Miller leant forward over her desk.

"Takeout OK with you for tonight?" she whispered, hoping to avoid the ears of her colleagues.

"What's happenin' tonight?" Scotty asked loudly, flinging himself into his seat and sitting back, stretching his arms.

Removing her coat, Lilly slid smoothly into her seat, smiling secretively.

"Vera's going to have dinner with Miller and Veronica." Scotty grinned.

"What, like a date?" Miller glared at them both.

"No, not like a date, moron."

The two younger detectives exchanged amused glances, but wisely kept their mouths shut. Miller's glare grew more intense, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.

"I swear nothin' in this place stays secret for long. How'd you even know about that?"

Lilly smirked.

"I never reveal my sources." Scotty chuckled, standing up again. He rested a gentle hand on her shoulder, smiling down at her.

"I'm springin' for coffee. You guys want anythin'?"

The group nodded, and with a grumble, Scotty walked out of the department. Lilly watched his retreating form, thinking for the twelfth time how good that blue shirt looked on him. Jeffries wheeled his chair across to sit with them.

"I spoke to the aunt. Kids are doing fine."

Lilly nodded. _At least they're safe._

"Hey, you get anything from the people that knew them?" Jeffries looked down at the folder, shrugging.

"Looks like they were members of a video club, gym. Had a country club membership." Miller nodded.

"Couple stuff."

Vera smirked, giving Lilly a sideways glance.

"So Rush. You an' Valens ever do 'couples stuff'? 'Cept the obvious, I mean." She blinked, the sudden question taking by surprise.

"What?"

Jeffries chuckled, taking pity on his colleague.

"Things that you and Scotty do together, Lil." She blushed.

"Oh. Well, we…sometimes we…I…" Vera smirked.

"Sounds great, Lil."

The blonde detective glared at him.

"We do couples things," she said defensively. _I just can't think of any right now._

* * *

"How long does it take to get coffee?" Vera grumbled. Miller rolled her eyes.

"Vera, it's 11am. In every city across America, that means it's a coffee break. Valens will be waiting for at least half an hour."

"Well, that sucks. Might as well get my own."

Lilly had been quiet for too long, sitting slumped in her seat. She suddenly sat up triumphantly.

"I've thought of something."

Vera raised his eyebrows, exchanging mystified looks with Miller.

"A couples thing," Lilly clarified.

Miller formed an 'O' with her lips in understanding. Vera smirked.

"Oh yeah?"

"We go to football games," Lilly replied in satisfaction.

"Lil, it's gotta be something you both enjoy."

"I DO enjoy football!"

"No, you don't," Miller pointed out. Lilly shot her a brief glare.

"Yes, I do. I like watching Scotty," she said, her voice softening as a smile appeared around her lips, "I like watching the look on his face, you know? When he really loves something."

Stillman yelled from his office.

"Vera! Miller!" They stood up. At the thought of her partner, Lilly felt her heart warm.

"It's like…"

Vera patted her shoulder.

"We know what it's like, Lil."

"How?" she asked in confusion. Miller grinned.

"It's the same look he gets when he looks at you."

* * *

The doorbell rang at 5:58pm. Miller arched an eyebrow in surprise. _Huh. Mr I'm-never-on-time is actually early. _As Miller a step towards the door, her cell phone rang. She hesitated, caught between her phone and the doorbell. Rolling her eyes, she picked up the handset.

"Ron! Get the door!" she called.

Holding the phone to her ear, Miller scowled, hearing her daughter bound down the stairs to open the front door. She heard Vera's deep voice from the entrance hall.

"What?" she snapped into the receiver.

Lilly chuckled.

"Bad time?" she teased. Miller turned her back to the door.

"You damn well know what...you know what? I'm not gonna give you the satisfaction."

"Come on, Kat, you know I'm joking. Serves you right for picking on me and Scotty."

"You think that was bad? Girl, you ain't seen nothing yet."

The blonde detective laughed again.

"So...are those Vera's dulcet tones I hear?" Miller's face softened, her scowl disappearing.

"Yeah. Hey, Lil? Can I ask you somethin'?"

"Sure."

The curly haired detective took a deep breath.

"You and Valens...was it...did...?" Lilly laughed softly.

"No, Kat. Never."

Miller exhaled slowly.

"'Night, Rush."

"'Night, Miller."

* * *

Veronica bounced in, her sling swinging wildly, and her mouth running at 100mph. Vera appeared behind her, just in time to hear the end of Miller's conversation.

"...Night, Rush."

He raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"Hey," Kat said with a grin, self-consciously running a hand over her pants. _What am I doing? I don't need to look nice- it's Vera!_

"Hey," he replied.

"Nick, Nick! You wanna write on my cast?"

"Uh…sure, kid. You got a pen?"

"Hold on," Veronica said, bouncing back to the living room.

Vera turned to Kat with raised eyebrows.

"You talk to Lil on the phone? I don't even know her cell number! So what did you guys talk about?" She shook her head, smirking.

"You don't wanna know."

"But that **was** Rush on the phone?"

"Unfortunately."

"Damn. I wanted to ask her somethin'."

It was Miller's turn to look surprised.

"You wanted to ask the Ice Queen a question?" she said incredulously. Vera chuckled.

"She ain't the Ice Queen no more. More like the Fluffy Princess."

* * *

"…and Lil's face when you started singing! Damn, I never seen that girl so surprised!" Miller laughed, slapping her palm down on the table. Vera chuckled, shaking his head at the memory.

"I told you I brought the house down," he pointed out.

Miller grinned.

"Yeah, but I thought you meant 'cause you were good, not 'cause everybody left at once."

"One o' these days you're gonna regret bein' mean to me."

She smiled craftily.

"You wanna play cards?" Vera scoffed.

"An' watch you take all my bills again? No thanks." Miller laughed.

"I'll let you off the hook this time. But you know that some time, your money's mine."

Vera smiled in mock gratitude.

"Thanks. Wouldn't want you to put yourself out."

* * *

Across town, twelve legs were all situated on the double bed. The two cats purred contentedly, snuggling into the warmth of the covers. Scotty glanced across at his partner. A slight frown creased her forehead, her eyes squinting at the folder that lay across her knees. He surreptitiously watched as she flicked her gaze towards her bedside table. Kate Marsden smiled back, the photo morphing into Adam and Cady and back again.

The male detective felt a tug at his pant leg. He looked down. Tripod stared at Scotty, meowing impatiently. Chuckling, the detective stretched up to switch off the light. As the bedroom was plunged into darkness, Lilly squeaked in surprise.

"Scotty!"

"Yeah, Lil?" She leant over him to turn the light back on.

Turning to her boyfriend, the blonde detective narrowed her eyes.

"I'm working." Scotty shook his head, stroking Tripod.

"No, you're not. You're sleeping." Lilly stuck out her bottom lip.

"I have to…" He kissed her cheek.

"You don't have to do anythin', Lil. It's late. Jus'…take a break."

She raised a confused eyebrow.

"Take a break?" Rolling his eyes, Scotty gently removed the folder and notepad from her hands, placing them on the floor.

"Even the cat is tired." He ignored her mutinous grumbles and switched off the lamp for the final time.

Lilly slid down the bed until her head was resting against the pillow. Scotty kissed her lips, his nose brushing against hers. He swept a lock of hair away from her forehead, grinning.

"Thank you," he murmured against her mouth.

"Yeah, yeah," she replied darkly, scowling.

"So what did Miller say?"

She smirked, snuggling into his warm body.

"She wanted some advice." Scotty glanced down at her, raising his eyebrows disbelievingly.

"An' she asked you?"

"Shut up."

* * *

From the fire escape, Miller's apartment had a perfect view out over the Philadelphia skyline. When the sun set behind it, the tall skyscrapers were painted in a deep orange, and the sky darkened to black.

The two detectives sat leaning against the wall, legs out in front of them. Glancing across at her from the corner of his eye, Vera smiled to himself. _Who knew she'd be such good company? I ain't felt this way since...since Meg._

Miller raised the bottle to her lips.

"There's no one way of lookin' at it. You and Will have been married, Lil and Scotty have been engaged. Maybe Lil was right," she said pensively, "Maybe we are just meant to be lone wolf cops."

Vera raised his eyebrows.

"Lil said that?" he asked in surprise.

"Uh huh. Told me her best friend said that once."

"Huh. Who knew Rush had friends?"

Miller chuckled.

"I don't know. I think there's more to that girl than meets the eye." Vera grinned.

"Should ask Valens. He'd probably know."

"I wish life didn't have to be so damned complicated," she replied wistfully.

Vera glanced at her curiously.

"What do you mean?" Miller shrugged, resting her head against the wall.

"Don't you ever just…stop? Take a look at the world and thank God you're alive?" she sighed, closing her eyes. Her friend shook his head.

"Ain't ever thought about it. Do you?"

"Do I what?" Kat replied in confusion. Vera chuckled.

"Just stop. Take a look at the world an' thank God we're alive?"

Miller laughed softly, opening an eye to look at him.

"Every damn day. Every time I see my little girl, Nick. That's when I thank God I'm alive."

Cautiously, he reached out to pat her on the knee.

"She's a good kid."

An awkward silence settled between them, broken only when Vera cleared his throat.

"I started to fill out the paperwork, you know," he said, his eyes fixed on the disappearing skyline. Miller frowned.

"Paperwork?"

He gave a single nod.

"To adopt. Thought maybe a kid could fix my marriage." Her eyes clouded in compassion.

"What happened, Nicky?"

The man was slightly taken aback at the fond nickname, and gave a soft chuckle that was filled with regret.

"Got all the way through it. Answered so many damn questions that I didn't even understand."

"And?" Kat prompted gently. Vera shook his head.

"I never signed my name."

* * *

You know when you have leftover ingredients, and you throw them all together to make some God awful creation? This chapter was that creation. Cobbled together from the remnants of long gone ideas...And that is my long-hand way of very nicely asking for a review...


	9. Downward Spiral

A/N Hi everybody! OK, two main points. For the sake of my happiness, let's just pretend Miller doesn't know about Scotty and Chris. I know in 'Better This Way' she did, but hey! Allow me a little artistic license. Secondly, we are also pretending that Lilly and Scotty are two of THE most stubborn people this side of the Mississippi. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Yawn. I don't own the TV characters. Only the things they come out with. Unfortunately.

* * *

No one could say the Cold Case detectives weren't dedicated. So here they were, at 6am on a Sunday morning, doing anything in their power to catch Michael Marsden.

Only a trace of doubt remained in Lilly's mind about his guilt. They had the motive, and the opportunity. All they needed now was the 9mm handgun CSE had determined as the murder weapon.

By unspoken consensus, whatever may or may not have happened between Kat and Vera was left untouched. In fact, the detectives of the Cold Case squad barely spoke at all. The day dragged on, and it was dark before they could do anything of value.

With the news that the trace on Marsden's cell phone and credit cards had turned up nothing, followed by the report that Marsden had probably managed to skip town, tempers were running high.

Tempers were barely controlled, simmering furiously under the surface, as the team angrily went home. One word, one careless statement, was all it would take to push someone over the edge...

...especially in the Valens/Rush household.

"You wanna know why I stepped out with Chris? She was there!" Scotty snapped. Lilly's mouth fell open, her eye flashing in anger.

"I was there! You just never saw me!" she retorted.

"But Christina was easy! It didn't mean nothin'. An' you? You were the last person I could run to, Lil! There'd always be some excuse, some reason why not!"

Lilly pointed her finger at him in outrage.

"But she was my sister!"

"Chris was the easy way out, no emotional baggage! With you, I'd always be askin' how long I had 'til you kicked me out!" Scotty shouted.

As soon as the words slipped out of his mouth, the detective knew he'd overstepped the mark. Turning on her heel, Lilly grabbed her coat, reaching for the door handle.

"You son of a bitch!" Against his better judgement, Scotty opened his mouth again.

"Yeah, keep runnin'. Nothin' changes, right? You know what? I'm thinkin' maybe me an' you wasn't such a great idea. So tell me, Rush, we callin' it quits, or what?"

Lilly didn't realise she'd slapped him until her palm began to sting mercilessly. Her eyes widened at the scarlet mark spreading across Scotty's cheek. The sound of skin on skin echoed around the room, fighting against the stunned silence.

Lilly felt tears appear in her eyes. Scotty looked up, running a tentative finger over his cheek. The blonde detective opened her mouth to speak, but remained silent when her partner shook his head. Her partner turned, and she made to follow him.

"Don't," he said quietly, walking into the kitchen.

A few minutes later, Scotty heard the front door slam.

* * *

Kat Miller was never one to mince her words. She was blunt, honest (sometimes painfully so), and there wasn't much that could render her speechless.

Except Lilly Rush, in tears, on her doorstep.

Miller opened the door, her eyes widening in surprise. Lilly sniffed tearfully.

"Can I come in?" she mumbled. Kat nodded mutely, standing aside to let her colleague in.

As Lilly wiped her eyes, Veronica bounced up, grinning.

"Hey, Lilly!" The detective attempted a smile.

"Hi." Sensing that Lilly didn't really want to talk, Miller cleared her throat.

"Baby, it's bed time. You can see Lilly tomorrow," she said, ushering her daughter up the stairs.

"Get your butt on that sofa, Rush."

"But…"

"It's 10pm on a Sunday, Lil. Doubt you can find somewhere that allows check in now. Besides, you turned up here for a reason. So sit down and quit your arguin'."

With a soft sigh, Lilly sank down onto the soft cushions, wearily running a hand through her hair and yawning. _I'm so tired. I hate...yo...you...Scotty..._

* * *

When Miller returned from putting her daughter to bed, Lilly had fallen asleep on the sofa. Kat noticed the tear tracks winding their way down her colleague's cheeks. She smiled sadly. _What the hell did you do this time, Valens? _

Reaching for the navy blanket that lay across the arm of the sofa, Miller unfolded it, and carefully draped it across her sleeping colleague.

"Sleep well, Lil," she said in a hushed voice.

The sharp chirp of a cell phone disturbed the silence. Fumbling around in her pocket, Miller flipped hers open. When the ringing continued, she frowned in confusion. On the sofa, Lilly began to stir. Seeing the offending phone on the coffee table, Miller flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Miller? What the hell are you doin' with Rush's phone?" Vera asked in surprise.

Kat rolled her eyes.

"She's sleeping on my sofa," she replied in a hushed voice. He chuckled.

"Huh. So that's why Valens is passed out in my kitchen."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Sportin' a nasty bruise, too."

The two detectives were silent as they began to piece together what had happened.

"You gonna leave him?" Miller asked after a moment.

"Uh huh. You gonna wake Rush up?" Vera replied.

She chuckled softly.

"No. Girl needs as much sleep as she can get. I swear, she runs on air."

"Guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

"Hey, how's Veronica doin'?"

Kat smiled to herself.

"She's OK. Her cast keeps buggin' her, but the doc says that can come off in a couple of weeks."

"Well…tell her I said hi."

"OK. 'Night, Vera."

"'Night, Miller."

* * *

When Kat walked into the living room the next morning, the sofa was empty. The blanket sat folded neatly at the end of the couch. Kat headed for the kitchen, hoping to find Lilly at the table. Seeing the empty room, she swore softly.

"Dammit, Rush. You could have stayed for breakfast," she muttered.

Looking around, Miller spotted a piece of paper folded neatly beside the kettle. She unfolded it, raising her eyebrows at the neat message.

_Thanks for the sofa. Tell Veronica I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to see her. I'll make it up to her. Rush._

Miller sighed.

"You're welcome."

* * *

A blind man could have seen that things weren't right. The four other detectives refused to get involved, recognising the need for the couple to fight it out on their own. From Stillman's office, they watched Lilly and Scotty pointedly ignoring each other.

"You remember the last time they were like this?" Vera sighed. Jeffries nodded.

"Yeah. Lil told him it was over."

The burly detective frowned.

"I forgot about that. I was talkin' about when Valens was doin' Rush's sister." Miller tossed him an incredulous look.

"Valens slept with Lil's sister?"

Jeffries nodded.

"Yeah, even after she warned him that Chris was trouble. They didn't talk for weeks." Miller shook her head.

"Sleeping with your partner's sister? That's just…ill-advised."

Vera grinned triumphantly.

"See? That's exactly what I told Valens."

"And the moron did it anyway?" Jeffries chuckled.

"Turned out OK in the end though. Lil even apologized for over-reacting. That was the day…" His voice trailed off at the mention of Lilly's 'adventure' in the attic.

Miller nodded understandingly.

"Before George," she clarified.

"And before Joseph," Vera piped up. She glared at him.

"Thought we all agreed never to bring that up?" He raised his hands defensively.

"OK, OK."

Jeffries waved a hand.

"Hey. Valens is talking to her." Miller winced.

"Aw, crap. He should have waited for her to make the first move."

Outside in the office, Lilly sighed miserably. Scotty glanced up.

"How long are you gonna give me the Ice Queen treatment?" he asked quietly. The blonde detective stood up.

"As long as I can," she replied.

As she brushed past him, Scotty reached for her wrist.

"Lil…" She jerked her hand away.

"Don't. Don't touch me."

Jeffries sighed, watching as Lilly walked away, struggling to hold her head up.

"Well, at least he tried."

* * *

Stillman glanced at Lilly, who was pointedly looking the other way, her arms folded as she leant against her desk. Scotty stood on Stillman's other side, staring angrily at the floor. The boss sighed inwardly.

If he didn't know his team as well as he did, the lieutenant would partner Rush with Valens, forcing them to at least communicate on a professional level. But leaving them no option but to spend time in each other's company would possibly prove more lethal than cyanide._ Not to mention it_ _could jeopardize the investigation._

Stillman sighed again, audibly this time.

"Valens, Jeffries, get down to Marsden's work place. Talk to whoever's around." They grabbed their jackets, heading for the car.

Scotty looked back at Lilly, and as their eyes met for the briefest second. _Hurt, check. Anger, check. Frustration, check. Love? _Relief overcame him as he saw that their relationship was far from over. _Check. _Lilly blushed, and averted her gaze. Hearing the doors swing shut, she resisted the temptation to go after him.

Stillman observed the pair in silence, before continuing to speak.

"Vera, Kat, I want you to speak to Father David again." The two detectives exchanged wary looks. Their glance moved to Lilly, who was chewing her thumbnail obliviously. Cautiously, Vera and Miller backed towards the door, waiting for their colleague to realise she'd been left behind.

The boss nodded, and they left, wondering why Lilly had not been given an assignment. Stillman felt a small smile tug at his lips.

"Rush." She nodded absently. "Rush, I need you to take another look at the evidence," he began. From the distant look on her face, he knew the blonde detective wasn't listening. Stillman continued.

"Rush, can you go to Mars and bring me back evidence of alien life forms?" Lilly nodded numbly.

"No problem, boss," she replied blankly. Stillman placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You with me, Lil?" Lilly blinked, and looked up at him.

"Sure, boss." He raised his eyebrows disbelievingly.

"Really? I just asked you to go to Mars and find me an alien. Apparently that's no problem."

Lilly blushed.

"I'm fine." Stillman leant against the desk beside her.

"You're both too stubborn. Neither one of you wants to be the first to break the silence," he said quietly. She looked up at him sadly.

"Scotty thinks we made a mistake," she whispered.

Stillman frowned. _Dammit, Scotty. When will you learn not to talk first, think later?_

"You really believe that?" Her eyes darkened, turning from clear blue to navy.

"I don't know."

"Rush, listen to me. No one said this was going to be easy. But I need you to sort it out, whatever it is, so I can have my two best investigators back."

The blonde detective nodded.

"Yes, boss," she replied. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"And please smile. You're making me feel like I'm the one in a fight."

* * *

"I could never be mad at Lil," Scotty said morosely. Jeffries chuckled, pulling away from the precinct.

"No."

"I mean, look at me. I've fucked up again." Jeffries eyed his colleague pityingly.

"How long have you been partners with her, Valens?" Scotty sighed.

"Too long," he muttered, lapsing back into silence.

After a while, Jeffries glanced at the detective sitting dejectedly in the passengers seat.

"She's not mad at you," he said quietly. Scotty looked up sharply.

"Yeah? What do you know?" he snapped angrily. Jeffries shrugged.

"I know that she spent the night on Miller's sofa. People talk."

Scotty waited for Jeffries to continue, watching as the older man pulled up at the stop lights.

"So what happened?" Jeffries asked slowly. Scotty sighed.

"I said some things…about Christina. And Lilly. And what happened. Told Lil that we made a mistake. She hit me."

Jeffries chuckled in realisation.

"Valens, she's scared." He looked at his colleague in confusion.

"Scared?" Jeffries nodded, an understanding smile appearing around his lips.

"Yeah, scared. You made her lash out, lose control. And for Lilly, control is somethin' she can't afford to let go of."

Scotty listened in silence, thinking things through.

"But the things I said…" Jeffries shook his head.

"Surface wounds. Lil knows you didn't mean it."

"Yeah?"

"Go home, Valens. I'm sure Vera won't mind." Scotty thought for a moment.

Eventually, he sighed heavily.

"I can't." Jeffries shrugged.

"Your loss, Scotty. Your loss."

* * *

Sigh. The line to smack them begins behind me. Sigh. If I promise to have a word with them, please could you leave me a review? Pwetty please?


	10. Silence Is Not So Golden

A/N Thanks to all you guys that reviewed the last chapter! More angst in this chapter, I'm afraid. I'm also introducing a new character- she's necessary for future events...but I'm not going to talk about those...Anyway, read and review, and I really hope this chapter is up to your high standards!

Disclaimer: I own nothin', except Manning. And the furball currently sitting at my feet.

* * *

When Lilly awoke the next morning, the feel of Olivia stretched out along her back told the detective that, even though she had known it was unlikely, her partner had not returned home.

_"So tell me, Rush, we callin' it quits, or what?"_

Blinking back tears, Lilly rolled onto her back, sending the cat scuttling further down the bed.

"Where is he?" she asked herself, feeling worry tighten its hold on her chest. _Please let him be OK._

Lilly hurried into the bullpen, her eyes searching the room. Seeing the familiar figure hunched over his desk, she breathed a soft sigh of relief.

"He's staying with his parents," said a voice from her elbow.

Lilly turned, feeling Stillman place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She blushed, quickly glancing up at him.

"He didn't come home. I was worried."

"He didn't tell you?"

The blonde detective shrugged, her heart breaking a little more.

"Why would he?"

* * *

Wednesday proved to be no different from Tuesday. Lilly realised exactly how much of an impact Scotty had made on her life. She showered in silence, missing the sound of Scotty getting ready in the bedroom. When she got dressed, Lilly missed the feel of her partner's arms sliding around her waist from behind, his lips gently kissing her neck.

They worked in silence, barely acknowledging the other's presence. Miller passed the last donut across her desk to Vera, who accepted it with a grateful grunt.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

That night, Lilly slept on the sofa in the break room.

* * *

On Thursday, she missed Scotty making her breakfast, and consequently forgot to eat anything. She missed the morning kisses, full of love and hope, realising that for the first time in three months, she was completely alone.

Work was the same. Lilly swallowed the lump in her throat, glancing across to the desk opposite hers. Scotty looked up, and as their eyes met, Lilly felt a blush creep across her cheeks, and quickly tore her eyes away.

She listened as he swore softly, stood up with a heavy sigh, and walked miserably into the break room for another cup of coffee. _I hate this, _the woman thought.

Miller and Vera exchanged concerned looks. He offered his partner a muffin.

"Thanks," she murmured, watching Scotty from the corner of her eye.

"No problem."

When Miller, Jeffries and Vera walked into the Homicide department that afternoon, they all stopped suddenly. Lilly was typing feverishly, sitting in exactly the same position as she was earlier that morning, hunched over her desk.

"That can't be good," Vera muttered, seeing the dark circles under his colleague's eyes.

As Miller approached the blonde detective, Lilly barely glanced up, her hollow eyes fixed on the screen.

"You been here all day?"

"Had to keep working. Got to close the case."

"Have you spoken to Scotty?" Lilly's fingers stopped for a moment, and her eyes dimmed.

"No," she replied, resuming her frantic typing, "was I supposed to?" Miller chuckled softly.

"It might help, Lil."

"Really?"

"Lil, you haven't been home in two days. This is getting stupid." Her fingers continued tapping patterns on the keys, her eyes narrowing.

"I have been home."

"When?"

"Last night. I needed a shower and clean clothes."

Miller rolled her eyes. Hearing her friend's weary sigh, Lilly's fingers slowed. The curly haired detective arched a curious eyebrow at the sudden change. Her colleague took a deep breath, shaking her head slightly.

"I'm...processing."

Miller smiled knowingly.

"Processin'?"

"Yes," Lilly stated in soft defiance, fixing her eyes back on the screen, "Processing."

* * *

_The trees are moving, swaying gently. There is no breeze, no gentle wind. His eyes gleam in the darkness, shiny black orbs glaring at her from across the room. The world spins. Upside down, side to side. Shouts, whispers._

"_I am nothing like you."_

_It happens quickly. One shot. Two lives. Hands shake. The world spins, another voice. A room, a box. Women watching._

"_Of course, there'd be no-one in them. No-one to show them to."_

_It's dark. Always dark. There's a light, trying, desperately trying, to reach out. She makes her way towards it, before the light darkens. More shouting._

"_Who can we call? Is there anyone we can call?"_

_Back in the attic. Gun raised._

"_I am nothing like you." A shot. Pain. Falling, down, down. Voices all talking at once, getting louder and louder._

"_Who can we call? Who can we call? Who can we…?"_

Lilly awoke with a start, a silent cry for help frozen on her lips. As she sat up, cold sweat slid down her back, and she shivered. _It's OK, Lilly. You're OK. _

The blonde detective tried to move her hand, but her palm was heavy. Lilly looked down. Her fingers, long and trembling, were clasped around the grip of her handgun. She swallowed, easing her finger away from the trigger.

She'd almost forgotten what waking up from a nightmare felt like. Three months without so much as a shiver of memory. _And then with one argument, it's like water down a fucking drain._

Taking a deep breath, she glanced around the empty room. The clock on the wall read 11:33pm. Looking across to the calendar, Lilly noticed it was Thursday already.

"Where are you, Scotty?" she whispered. Holstering her weapon, the detective stood up from the sofa, running a hand through her hair. She headed out into the bullpen, her stomach rumbling.

A stream of moonlight flooded the desks, casting a soft glow across the scattered files. Moving to sit at the one immaculate workspace, Lilly switched on her lamp, rummaging in her desk for the Hershey's bar Vera had thrown in her direction earlier that day. Taking a bite, she felt, with a certain satisfaction, the chocolate ease her hunger pain. _At least someone around here has food. I wonder what else he has in his desk…_

* * *

Lilly was lost in thought, scribbling absently on the piece of paper.

"Detective Rush?" She jumped, hand flying to the pistol on her hip.

"What the…Jesus, Manning!" she exclaimed, her voice three octaves higher than usual.

The rookie detective grinned apologetically, wisps of light brown hair falling into her face.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. Lilly took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. Manning shrugged.

"It's the only time I can get my work done."

Lilly sat back in her seat, studying the younger woman through narrowed eyes. Manning swallowed, taking an involuntary step back. After a moment, the blonde detective turned back to her paperwork.

"Do you need something?"

Manning cleared her throat.

"The Marsden case."

"What about it?"

"I was just…"

"Just what, Manning?" Lilly interrupted abruptly.

"You know what? It doesn't matter." She turned to walk away, and began to walk towards the doors. _Yeah, you're not the Ice Queen, _Lilly thought. She sighed heavily.

"Manning." The young officer stopped, looking back. Lilly offered her a small smile.

"It's been a bad week. What's up?" she said by way of apology.

Manning smiled broadly.

"I was just wondering if you needed any extra help with the Marsden case." Lilly raised her eyebrows.

"From you?" Manning blushed.

"Eventually, one day, I'd…I'd like to work Cold Cases, so I was…"

"There's a copy of the case file on the end of that desk," Lilly interrupted, gently this time.

"Really? I can stay?" Manning said, sounding very much like an excited child. The blonde detective laughed softly.

"If you want to. But I gotta warn you- I'm not the best company right now."

Manning shrugged.

"That's OK. I'll just talk to myself instead."

* * *

Lilly sniffed sadly, resting her head on her desk.

"This has been the worst week of my life," she murmured, not realising Ellie Manning was still in hearing range.

"That bad, huh?"

Lilly jumped, before nodding, and resting her forehead against the cool surface again. Manning watched her for a moment.

"If you want to talk…" The blonde sighed again.

"I'm fine."

Manning arched an eyebrow.

"Really?" Lilly glanced up.

"Yes." The young officer cleared her throat, taking a deep breath.

"I, uh, heard a, uh, that you and, uh…"

"Don't go there, Ellie," the detective said softly.

Ellie stifled a sigh. _I think I'd get more out of a brick wall._

* * *

Both women lost track of time as they carefully scanned the files for anything they might have originally missed. Lilly's attention kept drifting across to Scotty's desk, the longing in her heart becoming almost unbearable.

Manning glanced up. Lilly felt a smirk tug at the corner of her lips.

"If you have something to say, spit it out," she reprimanded gently. Manning nodded.

"I have a lot of, uh, friends. Downstairs, in uniform, and I, uh, just, uh…everyone really respects you, you know," she blurted. Lilly looked up, her eyebrows raised in amusement.

The younger officer continued hurriedly.

"For what you did, when, uh, in the, uh…the women especially. I mean, you're the undisputed Queen of Homicide. And, well, the guys…some of the guys respect you. But most of them just think you're hot," she rambled.

Lilly's smile grew, and she felt, for the first time in almost a week, the slight warmth of calm in her chest.

"Ellie," she said softly, trying to suppress a laugh. Manning nodded nervously.

"Yes, Detective Rush?"

"Thanks."

Manning's face stretched into a relieved smile.

"You're welcome."

* * *

Friday morning, Lilly was surviving on nearly four hours sleep. Her eyes were heavy, and the blonde detective wanted nothing more to run into her partner's arms. Scotty, for his part, was not coping much better. His shirt was rumpled, and the dark circles under his eyes betrayed his true state.

"Morning, Rush," Miller called. Lilly attempted a smile, walking towards the break room.

"Morning, Miller." The blonde detective found her partner accidentally blocking her way. Lilly looked up at him.

"Hi."

"Hi," he replied. Blushing furiously, Lilly stepped around him, hunching her shoulders. Her name tore from Scotty's mouth before he could stop it.

"Lil!"

She turned back, her eyes wide. Miller froze, poised like a cat ready to run. The two youngest detectives stared at each other, the silence speaking volumes. Scotty stood up, leaning over and resting his palms on his desk. Lilly swallowed, feeling distant tears prick the back of her eyelids.

Desperate to escape the heavy pressure that was bearing down on her, the blonde detective turned on her heel, bolting for the sanctity of her boss' office. Scotty swore softly, shaking his head. Miller gave him a sympathetic smile.

"I think that was progress."

* * *

Lilly tapped on the door. Stillman looked up.

"Lil. Take a seat." She sat down, absently smoothing circles on her knee. Stillman watched her for a while, before clearing his throat.

"Was there something you wanted, Lil?"

The blonde detective blinked.

"Oh. Ellie Manning." Her boss frowned.

"The girl who graduated from the Academy top of her class? Fast tracked to Homicide?" Lilly nodded. Stillman's frown deepened.

"What about her?"

Lilly took a deep breath, casting Scotty to the back of her mind, a task that took some doing.

"She wants to work Cold Cases," she began, "and I was…"

"No."

"We could use her!" Lilly protested.

Stillman shook his head.

"I'm not going to be responsible for baby-sitting a kid fresh off the block." Lilly sighed.

"Not even for this case?"

"No, Lil." She paused.

"What if…?"

"Rush…" he interrupted warningly. Lilly stood up in defeat.

"Yes, boss," she mumbled, heading for the door.

"Get me her file."

Lilly smirked at the resigned voice from behind her, and turned back. Stillman arched an eyebrow.

"You're impossible, Rush."

"It's part of my charm."

"So I've heard," he replied under his breath.

The blonde detective smiled gratefully.

"She's good, boss. I promise." He shook his head, gesturing her out of his office.

"I'll have a look. No promises. And Lil?"

She looked up, surprised at the gentleness of his tone.

"Yes, boss?" He gave her soft smile.

"I'll look at her file on one condition." Lilly sighed.

"That I talk to Scotty." Stillman chuckled.

"Knew there was a reason they gave you a detective's badge."

* * *

As Miller said, I think there was progress in there somewhere?! I promise not to take so long to update this time! How about a review? You know how it is- reviews make me work faster, and all that...


	11. Absentee

A/N I've been thinking. Dangerous, I know. Lilly and Scotty have sorten taken on a life of their own, and have already decided to write major (as in MAJOR) events for later chapters. So this is going to be a trilogy, with this as the second part, and 'Better This Way' as the first. And yes, the final part is already underway. But on to current events...

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, per se. Just the circumstances they find themselves in. And I may have exaggerated their stubborn streaks. And their ability to forgive. And a couple of other things.

* * *

The rest of Friday passed in a blissful blur for everyone except Lilly and Scotty. Friday meant they couldn't hide under the pretence of working. Friday meant that at some point, they would have to go home.

His mind was working at around 150 miles an hour. In the break room, Scotty had pushed all the furniture back against the wall, leaving a space in the middle of the room. He paced around the room, glaring at the floor.

"Shit!" he exclaimed in frustration, kicking out at the furniture.

A chair went skidding across the floor, colliding with the far wall.

"Work ended three hours ago," a voice said from the doorway. Scotty turned quickly. Stillman raised his eyebrows at the lopsided chair. The young detective looked away.

"Didn't know you were still here."

"So I take it. That bad?"

Scotty righted the chair, sighing heavily as he sat down.

"Am I ever gonna get this right, boss?" Stillman chuckled.

"Think you're doing a pretty good job so far."

"Are you crazy?"

Stillman shrugged, sitting down beside his detective.

"You always knew it wasn't going to be an easy ride."

"Why do I bother?" Scotty snapped.

"You bother because you need her. And just as much, she bothers because she needs you."

"Lilly don't need anybody." His boss sighed.

"Yeah? Tell me, Valens, when was the last time Lilly let off steam in front of me? Or Jeffries?" Scotty thought for a moment.

"She hasn't. Ever."

"Exactly. Now when was the last time she let off steam in front of you?"

The younger man looked away, beginning to see his boss' point. Stillman continued, determined to make Scotty see.

"When was the last time you lost your temper with a suspect?"

"I…haven't. Not since I've…"

"Not since you've been with Lilly. Do you see my point? You know Lil, Scotty. If she wanted out, she would have gone by now."

"Yes, boss."

Stillman chuckled.

"Now stop feeling sorry for yourself. I'm fed up of having my Homicide department turned into the set of The Jerry Springer Show." Scotty felt an embarrassed smile tug at his lips.

"Has she gone already?" Stillman rolled his eyes.

"What do you think?"

The detective nodded.

"She's still here. I'll, uh…"

"You'll put the furniture back. Then you'll go and wait for her at home. The home, I would like to point out, neither of you have barely set foot in for the past week."

"Go an' wait for her. At home."

Stillman shook his head.

"And Scotty?"

"Yeah, boss?"

"This is your last chance. Keep your domestics out of the office, or I'll be forced to separate you."

"Yes, boss."

"Good. Now go home."

* * *

Scotty sighed, his fingers massaging the cat's fur. Olivia purred contentedly, rubbing her neck against his stomach. Tripod gazed at Scotty, seemingly seeing straight into the detective's heart.

"I've really screwed up this time, right, cat?" Tripod gave a soft miaow.

Lilly froze as she walked into the house. Scotty looked up from his place on the sofa. They stared at each other. _Why am I surprised to see him? It's his house too, _Lilly thought. As Scotty stood up, the two cats leapt off his lap, racing off into the bedroom.

Lilly looked at him in surprise. _Was he…stroking my cats?_

"Hey," Scotty said nervously.

"Hi," she replied guardedly. The male detective watched as his partner shut the door. Lilly turned to face him, folding her arms over her chest. She raised a questioning eyebrow, determined to keep her mouth shut and to not let her heart control her mind.

"I'm sorry, Lilly," Scotty began quietly, "for what I said. What I did." His partner blinked, removing her coat and shoes. Feeling the silence being sent in his direction, Scotty sat down on the sofa with a weary sigh, holding his head in his hands. Hearing him curse under his breath, Lilly glanced over her shoulder. Her face softened at the resigned slump of her partner's shoulders.

Moving slowly, Lilly sat down beside him, curling her legs up beneath her.

"I miss you," Scotty said in a low voice. Lilly felt a single tear slide down her cheek at his simple words. Reaching out, she gently brushed a finger over the three scratches on her partner's cheek. Scotty flinched, but wasn't sure whether it was from the sudden pain, or the surprise of her fingers touching his skin.

The male detective looked up. Lilly met his eyes, her fingertips lingering over his cheek.

"You should put some ice on that," she whispered. Scotty looked away.

"I'm sorry," he replied hoarsely. She was thrown back to that time in the precinct lobby, when they'd fought over Christina, when it seemed that their partnership was doomed. That time when they'd ripped each other to shreds. Lilly placed her palm against his face, turning his head towards her.

Seeing the regret and self-hatred in her partner's eyes, Lilly realised that being angry with Scotty was just as pointless as being mad at herself. Stifling a sigh at the sheer stupidity of their stubborness, she brought his lips down to hers, stroking his cheek.

Breathing a sigh of relief against her mouth, Scotty wound his arms around Lilly's waist, pulling her towards him. All the pent up need and love bubbling over, he kissed her hungrily, knowing that it would never be enough. Breaking away, Lilly rested her forehead against his.

"I hate this," she whispered.

"I'll make it up to you. Make up the week that we lost," he replied softly. His partner nodded.

"I'm sorry." Scotty cracked a small smile.

"What are you apologizin' for? I'm the jackass." She nodded again, smiling slightly as she fiddled with the buttons on his shirt. Noticing the doubt brewing in her eyes, and hating himself for putting it there, Scotty raised her chin to look his partner in the eyes.

"Look, Lil, you gotta know that I didn't mean anythin' of what I said. I was just...I lied about all o' that shit, about us bein' a mistake. I can't think of anywhere else I wanna be...except here with you."

With a certain triumph brewing in the pit of his stomach, he watched as Lilly smiled in relief, the fear receding from her face. She kissed him again, her nose bumping against his. _Guess I ain't the only one who missed this, _Scotty thought.

Her fingertips nudged across the three scratches on his face, and Scotty couldn't help the slight wince that graced his features. Lilly fell back, and feeling her cheeks turn pink, she quickly looked away. _Did I do that? I really didn't mean to hurt him. I just wanted…I just wanted him to stop talking._ Scotty leant forward again, frowning as his partner tensed.

"Stop," she whispered.

As he brushed a hand over her arm, Lilly glanced up at her boyfriend's face, and flinched. Blinking in realisation, Scotty breathed an audible sigh of relief. He placed his hands on her shoulders, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Lilly, look at me."

The blonde detective did, her eyes clouding with guilt at the bruise on Scotty's cheek.

"I hurt you," she said in a small voice. Her partner shook his head, pulling her into a hug.

"Nah, Lil. Anyway, I sorta had it comin'. But you know I didn't mean it right? Lil? You know that, don't you?"

The worry in his voice made Lilly giggle against his chest, and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Scotty, I'm tired," she said softly. He kissed the top of her head, and took her hand in his, leading her towards the bedroom.

"Me too."

As they entered the bedroom, Scotty tugged on Lilly's hand, forcing her to stop. She looked back, her blue eyes shining happily.

"So we're…OK?" he asked seriously. The smile he got in return was enough to make up for the missing week. He was so wrapped up in her smile, he almost missed her reply.

"We're together, aren't we?" Scotty grinned.

"That we are." Lilly's smile faded, and she stepped back into his warmth.

"I don't do relationships real well, Scotty, but...I know a good one when I find it," she said slowly, frowning, "and I know that...not being with you...just kinda...sucks." The male detective chuckled, planting a soft kiss to her forehead.

"I love you too."

* * *

Neither of them could describe the feeling that came from falling asleep in the others arms. It was as if they'd never been separated, slipping so easily back into their routine.

The luminous digits on the bedside clock read 1:17. Scotty was woken by Lilly's moans. She thrashed around in the bed, tangling the sheets around her legs. Tears poured from under her eyelids, even though they were clamped shut.

"No! George, no! Please, don't hurt him! Not Scotty!"

The male detective sat up, looking down at his partner in concern. _This ain't good. She ain't had a nightmare for weeks._ She writhed around, sweat beading on her brow.

"Scotty…" she whimpered, colour draining from her face. Lilly's voice began to rise.

"No, George, no! Please don't! Not him!"

Scotty placed his hands on Lilly's waist, trying to calm her frantic movements.

"Lilly!" he said gently. She sat up suddenly, her eyes snapping open. The clear blue orbs took a moment to focus. When she finally fixed on his face, everything came flooding back, and Lilly gave a small sob, collapsing into his arms.

As her slim body shook, Scotty stroked the back of Lilly's head soothingly, feeling her fingers clutching at his vest.

"I'm here, baby. I've got you," he whispered. Tears dropped from her cheeks onto his chest.

"We weren't talking, and he killed you, and I never got a chance to say goodbye," she sobbed.

"It's OK."

Pulling Lilly into his arms, Scotty lay down, his arms looped around his partner's body. Lilly sighed shakily, tears running silently down her cheeks. Wiping her eyes, she shuddered, burying her face in his shoulder. Scotty held her tightly, waiting as her body went still, and her ragged breathing evened out.

Lilly finally gave a last shudder, and fell into a fitful sleep. Scotty kissed her forehead, cradling her body against his. When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse from emotion, tears pricking at the back of his eyelids.

"It'll take more than that to take me away from you, Lil."

* * *

Later that night, Scotty awoke to an empty bed. Feeling fear rise in his stomach, the detective quickly stood up. He ran a hand through his hair, and headed out of the bedroom.

The house was still in darkness. Scotty moved further into the living room, breathing a sigh of relief as he saw the white-blonde head resting against the sofa arm. Scotty sat down beside her. Lilly turned her face towards him, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. _She looks like…she looks like she did when…after…with George._

"Hey," she whispered in a broken voice. It was their password.

"_You need me, just say…hey, an' I'll be there."_

Scotty nodded. _Hearin' you loud an' clear, Lil._

"You want me to stay wit' you?" he asked gently. Lilly nodded, already starting to feel better now that he was with her. She slid forward, allowing him to lie down behind her. Scotty pulled Lilly into him, their hands clasped together in front of her stomach. They lay on the sofa in silence for a while, just savouring each other's warmth.

Eventually, Lilly squeezed Scotty's hand.

"Love you," she breathed. Her partner kissed her cheek.

"Love you too."

* * *

Well, at least they're talking to each other. Parker and I are spending the week up in NYC, so maybe no updates? I'll be expecting lots of reviews, though! Maybe you should, uh, just click that little button? That's it...yeah, that one...Good reviewer!


	12. Sanctum

A/N I'M SORRY! I did say that there would be no updates while I was away. To make up for it, I've uploaded two chapters, including one REALLY long chapter. But meanwhile, thanks to all of you guys who reviewed- it means a lot to me! Anyway, on with the story...

Disclaimer: Although we have a number of things in common, I don't own Lilly. Or Scotty. But I don't have many things in common with him. I don't own Cold Case.

* * *

After Lilly had fallen into a fitful sleep, Scotty picked her up, sliding his arm under her legs, the other curled around her back. He carried her to the bedroom. Olivia stared up at him, narrowing her single eye.

"Don't look at me like that, cat," Scotty muttered.

Placing Lilly carefully down on the bed, he gently pulled the covers up around her chin, before sliding in beside her. His arm looped around Lilly's waist, and she stirred, mumbling something incomprehensible.

The male detective kissed her neck, settling down beside her.

"I'm gonna make sure that I'm the last thing you hear at night, an' the first thing you hear in the mornin'. I love you, Lil," he whispered. _More than you'll ever know._

* * *

Scotty opened his eye to find his partner sitting cross-legged beside him. Seeing him awake, she smiled softly. Scotty rolled onto his back, blinking.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked sleepily. Lilly lay back down beside him, resting her cheek on his chest, immensely relieved that he was back with her.

"A while," she replied.

Scotty slid his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer.

"Another nightmare?" he said. He felt Lilly shiver.

"Of sorts." She snuggled closer. Scotty yawned, and noticed that it was still dark.

"What time is it?" His girlfriend turned her head to glance at the clock.

"2:17."

"You wanna go back to sleep?" the male detective asked gently. Lilly kissed the stubble on his chin, closing her eyes.

"I'll try," she whispered. Scotty held her close to his body, feeling Lilly's inner battle with sleep. _Good thing you're already dead, George, or right now? I'd fuckin' kill you myself._

* * *

Waking up, Scotty grinned. He looked into the now peaceful face of his partner, her breath rushing across his chin. _Damn, she's gorgeous, _he thought. Holding his breath, Scotty untangled his legs from hers, and wearing only his boxers, he padded softly into the bathroom. The detective quickly brushed his teeth, and returned to the bedroom.

He slid into bed beside Lilly. With a sigh, she moved her cheek onto his chest, throwing an arm over his waist.

"Where did you go?" she mumbled sleepily. Scotty chuckled.

"Bathroom. Had to get rid of my sleep breath. You might wanna do the same," he teased gently.

Raising her head, Lilly opened an eye to glare at him.

"I don't get sleep breath." Scotty rolled her onto her back, kissing her quickly. His eyes widened innocently, and Lilly narrowed her eyes, kissing him back. Scotty broke away, grinning mischievously.

"Huh. How about that? You don't have sleep breath," he murmured.

Lilly rolled her eyes.

"What's the time?"

"8:03." She kissed his shoulder, her fingers tracing seductive patterns on his skin.

"Breakfast?" she suggested. Scotty's hand moved lower down her back.

"Make it brunch?"

Lilly smirked, rolling away from him.

"Tough luck, Valens. I need to wash my hair." He grinned, placing a soft kiss on his partner's nose.

"I always thought that was just an excuse."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Lilly was rubbing her hair dry with a towel. She climbed into her partner's lap, discarding the towel. Scotty smiled.

"Hi," she said brightly.

"Hey," he replied. Her partner sniffed her head. Lilly raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Why are you sniffing my hair?"

"You smell clean," Scotty said with a grin. Lilly giggled. He pulled her closer, bending his head for a proper kiss. Breaking away, Lilly's smile faded.

"We should talk about last night, right?" she said apprehensively. Scotty nodded.

"We should, but we don't have to."

The blonde detective rested her cheek against his shoulder. She knew, somewhere deep inside of her, that talking was the only way to get past the nightmares. The minefield around her heart was big, and surrounded by barbed wire, but Scotty was more than halfway there. He knew what made her tick, could tell from the shade of her eyes what was going on in her head, could make her laugh when all she wanted to do was cry.

"I'm sorry," he said suddenly, "for what I said." Lilly raised her head to look at him.

"I know."

"But, Lil, I was…"

"Scotty, it's fine. We were both angry. We said, and did, things we didn't mean," she explained, brushing a gentle finger over the purple bruise on his cheek. He smiled crookedly.

"You're simply amazin'."

With a pleased smile, Lilly rested her hand on Scotty's neck, her fingertips soft against the smooth skin of his throat.

"If we skip breakfast, will lunch become brunch, or will it just be lunch?"

"I don't know, Lil. Are you gonna make pancakes?"

"Yes."

"Good."

* * *

Lilly stood in front of the stove, stirring the mixture. Scotty leant against the doorframe, admiring his girlfriend. A smile spread from his lips. Facing away from him, Lilly giggled.

"Stop staring at me," she said. Scotty sighed in mock disappointment, and walked across to stand behind her. He slid his arms around her waist. Lilly sank back against his solid chest, turning the heat up on the stove.

"What happened to 'can't cook, won't cook'?" Scotty asked. His partner shrugged.

"You wanted pancakes. So I'm making pancakes. You know, the one thing I can make reasonably well?" The male detective moved his hands down to her hips.

"Smells good, Rush." Lilly laughed.

"Plates."

He moved away, reaching down two plates. Placing them on the side, Scotty watched as Lilly poured the mixture into the frying pan. After a while, she tossed a smile over shoulder.

"Flip?" she asked. Scotty grinned, assuming his position behind her. He reached around, taking her hands in his. Lilly grasped the handle of the pan, tossing the pancakes up in the air.

Together, they managed to catch the pancake in the pan, replacing it on the stove. Scotty kissed her cheek.

"I like making pancakes," he stated. Lilly nodded, leaning back and feeling the steady thump of his heart.

"I know," she replied, dividing the pancakes onto the two plates.

Scotty laughed. He carried the plates to the sofa. Olivia and Tripod scuttled around his feet, eagerly sniffing at his leg.

"Lil, Olivia and Tripod are harassin' me again!" he moaned, edging around them to sit on the sofa.

He heard his partner laugh from the kitchen. Lilly appeared, smiling broadly, and carrying two glasses of juice.

"That's the first time you called them by their names." Scotty rolled his eyes.

"Don't get used to it," he muttered.

The blonde detective reached across the counter for a bowl of strawberries and the sugar bowl. She grabbed some forks from the drawer, and finally sat down beside her boyfriend. The two cats jumped up between them, mewling plaintively. Olivia stared at Scotty out of her one eye. He shifted uncomfortably.

Eventually, the cat's intense gaze won, and with a sigh, Scotty offered Olivia a strawberry. She snatched it from his hand. Lilly watched the exchange with a satisfied smile tugging at her lips.

"What?" Scotty asked defensively. His partner shook her head.

"Nothing."

"Lil…" he warned. She smiled secretively.

"Shut up and eat."

* * *

I like it when they're talking to each other. It makes things easier to write. The Review Voices wanted me to pass on a message: please review. It's nearly Christmas and who knows? Maybe Santa will finally get around to reading my list...


	13. Corazon Que No Siente Pero Ama

A/N I hate this chapter. I must have changed it, like, a DOZEN times. Sorry. But what it lacks in quality, I sure made up for in quantity. Read and review anyway, just so's I know how much it sucked. Oh yeah, I know the show never mentioned anything about Scotty having a sister, so I played the 'Artistic License' card, and made her up.

Disclaimer: I got plenty o' nothin', and nothin' is plenty fo' me.

* * *

The next working day was uneventful. Lilly had left early, having completed her paper work in record time. _As usual, _her partner thought. Leaving his colleagues at their desks, Scotty tapped on Lt. Stillman's door. He frowned thoughtfully.

"Boss, can I ask you somethin'?" Stillman glanced up.

"Depends what you're going to ask me. You and Lil sorted things out?"

"Yeah, boss. We're all good."

Stillman nodded.

"Then go ahead and ask." Scotty cleared his throat, closing the door behind him.

"It's my Dad's birthday, an'…"

"Not a chance in hell," Stillman interrupted. The younger detective's mouth fell open.

"How'd you know what I was gonna ask?"

"You wanted to know if Lilly would go with you to your Dad's party. And I'm telling you there's not a chance in hell."

Scotty ran a hand through his hair.

"Dammit. I really wanted her to come." Stillman chuckled knowingly.

"I know. But you know she hates doing the family thing."

"Guess so. So there's no chance?"

"Go ahead and ask her. Just don't get your hopes up." Scotty grinned, nodding his head.

"Thanks, boss." The older detective shook his head.

"Get out of here. You're excitement makes me want to nail your foot to the floor."

* * *

Scotty kicked off his shoes, removing his jacket.

"Lilly? You home?"

"In the shower!" she called. He headed into the bathroom.

"Lil?" She stuck her head out of the cubicle, smiling.

"I missed you."

Scotty grinned.

"Yeah?" She bit her lower lip.

"Uh huh." He leant forward to kiss her. Sighing, Lilly deepened the kiss. With their lips clashing together, the male detective unbuttoned his shirt. Lilly slid it off his shoulders, the material landing in a pile at their feet.

The male detective kissed her deeply, pulling down the zipper on his pants. Lilly opened her mouth, her tongue darting against his. After undressing completely, Scotty stepped into the shower, pulling his girlfriend's wet body towards him.

Gasping slightly, Lilly slid the cubicle door shut, the hot water running over their bodies.

"I'm going to need another shower, aren't I?" she asked breathlessly, feeling his muscular frame pressing her against the cubicle wall.

"When I'm finished with you? Uh…yeah."

Lilly sighed in mock disappointment.

"Oh well. You better make this worth it." Scotty laughed.

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

They stayed in the shower until the water ran cold. Shivering, Lilly reached for a towel, wrapping it around her slim body. Scotty did the same, kissing her neck. Lilly smiled.

"I think we used up all the hot water."

The male detective reached down another towel for his hair, tossing it over his shoulder.

"Don't think we needed the extra heat," he teased. Lilly turned to face him, planting a kiss on his lips.

"Mind out of the gutter, Valens," she said, her voice muffled by his lips.

"You just did that to me, and **I'm** the one with my mind in the gutter?"

"Shut up."

* * *

As Lilly emerged from the bedroom, Scotty couldn't help but laugh. His partner narrowed her eyes.

"What?" He grinned.

"You're wearin' my football shirt?" _My God is she wearin' that football shirt! Thing's about six sizes too big, an' she still pulls it off._

Lilly looked down at herself. The material fell to her knees, and the sleeves reached all the way down to her elbows.

"So? It was the first thing I found." Scotty shrugged, still smiling. He turned back to the paper.

"Looks good on you." Lilly laughed.

"Gee, thanks."

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Lilly sat down beside him, swinging her legs up into his lap.

"I guess." Scotty rubbed circles on her bare calf.

"Promise you won't freak out?" Lilly raised her eyebrows.

"Spit it out, Valens." He took a deep breath, meeting Lilly's slightly concerned eyes.

"It's my Dad's birthday. On Friday."

"This Friday?"

"Yeah. He's having a party, an' I was sorta wonderin'…"

"If I'd come with you," Lilly finished with a smile. Scotty grinned.

"Yeah. If you'd come with me."

The blonde detective thought for a moment.

"All your family will be there?" she asked, her voice somewhere between curious and apprehensive. Scotty nodded slowly.

"Yeah." Lilly paused, her insecurities beginning to show.

"And all your family will be there?" she asked again.

Her partner leant forward to kiss her forehead.

"Look, Lil, I just wanted to ask. Me an' you can jus' stay here." She looked up at him, her eyebrows raised in amusement.

"I haven't given you my answer yet," she chastised gently. Scotty blinked in confusion.

"Huh?"

Lilly giggled, nudging him with her knee.

"I'll go with you, Scotty." He grinned.

"You will, huh?" She nodded.

"I will. If this," she began, gesturing between them, "is going to work, I guess I'll have to meet your family at some point."

Laughing, Scotty bent his head to kiss her. Breaking away, he smoothed his thumb over her cheekbone.

"I love you, Rush." Smiling slyly, Lilly shrugged nonchalantly.

"You're not so bad yourself," she teased. He sighed mournfully.

"You really know how to make a guy feel loved."

Lilly smirked, kissing the spot underneath his jawbone.

"You didn't have any complaints earlier."

* * *

After Lilly had said that she would go with him to meet his parents, Scotty dropped the subject of his father's birthday. Friday came quickly, and before Lilly knew it, she was feeling butterflies in her stomach as she stood in front of the mirror. _What if they don't like me? What if Scotty realises that he can do so much better than me, and then he'll leave me, but I'll still have to work with him, unless one of us moves, but that'll be…_

"Lil, you ready?"

Taking a deep breath, the blonde detective made her way towards the living room, with Olivia curling around her legs, purring pointedly.

"I know, Liv. I'll be OK," the woman whispered.

"Where are you, Lil?"

"Right here. Do I look OK?" Lilly asked from the doorway. Scotty looked up, and his mouth fell open. His normally conservative partner was wearing a skirt. The black material came to a slanted stop just above her knees. Scotty moved his gaze upwards, over her long legs, aiming to meet her eyes.

He admired the way her red shirt clung to every one of Lilly's slender curves, the sleeves ending just below her elbows. When their eyes finally met, he was surprised to see concern written across his partner's face. Standing up, he moved to her side, taking her in his arms.

"Don't worry. They'll love you as much as I do." Lilly couldn't stop the smile from creeping onto her face.

"How much?" she said cheekily.

Scotty chuckled, and she felt the vibrations running through his chest.

"Enough to make you my favourite person on the planet. Except maybe Superman." Lilly sighed in mock dismay.

"I guess that's enough."

"You're beautiful, Lil." Hearing his whispered words, Lilly began to relax.

Scotty held her at arms length, studying her for a moment. Smirking, he raised his hand to the back of her head, and pulled the elastic hair band out. Lilly's blonde hair fell down around her shoulders, loose wisps darting into her face. She raised her eyebrows in amusement.

"That took me a long time," she pointed out, sliding her arms around his waist.

Her partner grinned.

"Looks better now." Lilly stood on tiptoes to capture Scotty's lips in a quick kiss. Scotty caught a glimpse of the clock, and reluctantly pulled away.

"We gotta go, Lil." She nodded, reaching for her bag and slim-fitting leather jacket.

"I'm ready."

* * *

Taking Lilly by the hand, Scotty led his girlfriend up the path. The house was in darkness, and he breathed a soft sigh of relief.

"Mom's gone to get my sister. House will be empty." She tugged on his hand, forcing him to stop.

"You're sister? Why am I only just finding out about your sister now?" she asked anxiously. Scotty grinned.

"Never came up in conversation, Lil. She's 23 years old. Bit of a surprise for Mom and Pops, though."

Lilly nodded, pushing the panic down inside of her and desperately trying not to turn tail and run. She took a deep breath, waiting for him to unlock the front door.

"Will your brother be here?"

"Mike? Nah, he's out of town with the family."

"But everyone else will be there?"

"Lil, we've been through this. You sure you want to do this?" Lilly looked up at him, seeing the understanding in his eyes. She sighed, wishing she could erase the disappointment from his face.

"No, Scotty, I don't want to do this…"

"So let's g…"

"But I will. For you."

Scotty grinned, placing a soft kiss on her lips, and switched the lights on.

"Dad?" He got no reply, and chuckled softly. Lilly looked around at the walls, her smile widening as her eyes settled on a photo of a teenage Scotty.

"Quite the heartbreaker," she teased.

"That he was," said a voice from the staircase. Lilly jumped, and spun around. Scotty rolled his eyes.

"I shouted, Dad." The older man nodded, smiling at Lilly.

"I heard. Your mother back yet?"

"Nope. How long she been out?"

"Almost an hour."

Lilly studied Scotty's father carefully. They shared the same eyes, the same proud figure. An angry voice reached their ears, and the two men groaned.

"Mama, yo no necesito que cuidar de mí! Yo no soy diez años más!"

"Pero yo sólo ..." The blonde detective watched in silence as a slim figure brushed past her, stomping up the stairs and slamming a door. _Well, that must be the sister._

"Scotty! ¿Dónde es mi hijo? ¡Pienso que necesite trabajar en tu estacionamiento, chico!" a loud voice called from the porch. Scotty rolled his eyes.

"Lo siento, mama." Lilly took a step back as Maria Valens entered the house. Scotty's mother didn't even notice the detective standing there.

"Helen Keller could park better than you, chico," she said, standing on tiptoes to kiss her son's cheek.

Benito Valens glanced at Lilly's shell-shocked expression, and chuckled. Taking her by the elbow, the older man led Lilly into the kitchen, away from the hurried Spanish. Grinning, he held out his hand.

"Benito Valens. You can call me Ben. And I take it you're Lilly?" She shook his hand, nodding shyly.

"Lilly Rush."

Ben smiled kindly.

"I've heard a lot about you. Nice to finally put a face to a name. And what a pretty face it is." Lilly blushed, nodding.

"Thanks. You have a lovely home," she said softly. He looked around, before glancing over Lilly's shoulder.

"I apologize for my daughter. She and her mother never really...hit it off."

"That's OK. Happy birthday, by the way."

"Thank you." Ben heard muffled footsteps approaching, and shook his head. "Just remember, Lilly, sweetheart, that I am the sane half of this household."

She turned, her heart leaping wildly. From the doorway, Scotty grinned sheepishly.

"Ma, she's in here!" he called. Lilly narrowed her eyes menacingly. He shrugged. Mrs Valens bustled in, her dark eyes searching for the missing woman.

"¿Dónde es el novia de mi hijo? ¿Lilly?"

The blonde detective subconsciously took a step towards Scotty's father, drawn in by his kindness and calm nature. Scotty noticed the cornered look on his partner's face, the look that was so familiar to him. Lilly met his gaze, and the male detective was taken aback at the silent cry for help he saw in her eyes. He placed a hand on his mother's arm, speaking softly in Spanish.

_"Mama, please. She don't do this kinda thing very well. Don't screw this up for me, mama. Just don't...just don't make a big deal over her."_

Maria sniffed.

"_My son finally brings a good woman home, and I'm not allowed to make a fuss? Fine. Am I allowed to talk to her?" _Ben Valens chuckled, looking down at Lilly.

"What do you think, Lilly? Shall we let her talk to you?"

The blonde detective stepped out from behind him, smiling now that some of her original uneasiness passing away.

"I think so. I'm not that jumpy. Most of the time I can handle conversations," she said teasingly.

Maria Valens beamed, and looked so much like her son, Lilly had to stifle a laugh.

"You must be Lilly. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," the older woman said happily.

"You too." Scotty's mother turned to face her son, once again lapsing into Spanish.

"_She's too thin, chico. And is she ill? She looks pale." _He caught Lilly's eye and grinned.

_"No, she's perfect."_

* * *

More people had arrived after the two detectives. The house buzzed with the dull hum of different conversations. Having left Lilly talking to his mother, under the promise that she wouldn't push Lilly too hard, Scotty headed outside to find his father. Ben Valens was sitting on the front porch, his feet resting on the steps.

Scotty sat down beside his father, handing him a bottle of beer.

"So?" he asked casually. Benito chuckled, taking the drink from his son. He'd spent a good part of the evening talking to Lilly, finding her to be good company and someone to match his sharp intellect, and was touched by her obvious affection for his son.

"She's definitely one of a kind." Scotty grinned, raising the bottle to his lips.

"She's amazin', Dad. She's beautiful, an' funny, and smart, an'…" His voice trailed off, running out of words to describe his partner.

Ben felt tears prick the back of his eyelids. He had never heard his son talk about anyone so avidly, nor had he seen Scotty look at any woman with such love, not even Elissa. _Lilly must be pretty damn special._

Scotty shook his head, taking another sip of his beer.

"I jus' don't get it, Dad. How can someone like Lilly make a whole room of people fall in love with her, an' not know it?"

"Maybe she does know it. Maybe she just chooses to ignore it."

"But I still don't get it."

Ben Valens sighed.

"Listen, son. Women like Lilly, they don't get where they are through slackin'. An' being a woman don't make it easier. Especially after everything she's been through…" Scotty looked up sharply.

"How'd you know about that?" His father smiled wryly, shaking his head.

"Your mother isn't the only one likes to read tabloids."

Scotty nodded.

"Jus' do me a favour, an' don't ask her about it. Lil's…Lil's a private person. Half the time I don't even know what's goin' on in her head."

"You playin' for keeps, son?" Mr Valens asked suddenly. Scotty looked up at him seriously.

"Playin' for keeps," he echoed in agreement. Ben smiled, patting his son on the back.

"Good."

* * *

Maria Valens had been called away to settle a debate. Lilly was left in the kitchen, with Scotty's sister. Elena Valens had, like her brother, inherited the best features from both parents. Against her will, Lilly felt her detective skills kicking in as they sat in silence. _OK. She's around 5'7'', 110lbs. Hair and eyes like Scotty. Proud figure, probably slightly big-headed. Like Scotty._

Elena glanced across at Lilly, a smile tugging at her lips. She couldn't quite get her head around the enigmatic blonde sitting beside her, which did nothing to dispel her curiosity.

"Tell me about Scotty," Lilly asked quietly. Elena laughed.

"How long have you got?" The detective returned the smile, but remained silent.

Elena watched her for a moment, her smooth brow creased in curiosity. She leant back against the counter.

"Let's talk about you," she said suddenly. Lilly looked up sharply, her eyes widening. With a feeling of grim satisfaction, Elena saw a flash of fear in the detective's eyes. Lilly felt the remaining colour drain from her face. _What? Why is she asking that? _She attempted a laugh, but it came out as a shaky sigh.

"You don't want to hear about me," she said with a shake of her head, lowering her eyes to the table. Elena shrugged.

"No-one does, right? Except from rapists and serial killers?" Lilly's head shot up, inner pain rocketing through her heart at the thought of George Marks and Ed, the guy responsible for putting a bullet in her chest.

"Who have you been talking to?" Lilly asked seriously.

Ben Valens cleared his throat. Neither woman had noticed him appear in the doorway.

"Everything OK?" Elena nodded, ignoring Lilly's shocked and anguished stare.

"Everything's fine, Papa." Ben took a step further into the room.

"Lilly, sweetheart, Scotty's looking for you," he said, eyeing her carefully.

Avoiding his gaze, she slipped past him. Feeling her father move further into the room, Elena sighed.

"What did you do?" he asked quietly. She widened her eyes innocently.

"Me? I didn't do anything, Dad." He sighed, continuing his reprimand in Spanish.

"_Don't give her hell, Lena. She's been through enough already." _His daughter rolled her eyes.

_"I just don't want Scotty to be hurt again. Elissa broke his heart, and I want to know that she won't do the same."_

_"He's a big boy, Lena. Leave Lilly alone."_ She sighed again.

_"She's already got you wrapped around her finger."_

Ben frowned, not recognising the woman standing in front of him.

"What happened you to you, Elena? Why are you being like this?"

"I told you. I don't want _mi hermano_ to get hurt."

"Elena, she's not Elissa."

"But she's damaged goods, Papa. And people with histories, they run. They steal everything good from you, and leave."

Benito Valens felt a mixture of pity and understanding creep into his voice.

"She's not Carlos, either."

Before Elena could reply, Lilly appeared in the doorway. She fiddled anxiously with the bottom of her leather jacket, fixing her eyes on the floor.

"Something's come up at work. We have to go. I'm really sorry," she explained in a soft voice.

Ben pulled her into a gentle hug. _No wonder Scotty treats her like a china doll. Girl's tiny!_

"Don't be a stranger," he said into her ear. Lilly smiled.

"Thanks for tonight. It meant a lot." He nodded.

"I know." Pulling back, her eyes flicked over Ben's shoulder.

Seeing the little colour drain from her face, he followed her gaze. Elena was pointedly avoiding them, glaring viciously at the vegetables. Lilly looked up at Scotty's father anxiously. He smiled.

"I know," he repeated quietly.

Scotty appeared behind them. He reached for his partner's hand.

"We gotta go. Bye, Lena!" he called, "Happy Birthday, Dad!" Lilly smiled up at Scotty's father. He saw the silent message in her eyes. _She doesn't want Scotty to know about what happened with Lena. This girl is somethin', alright._

"We'll see you soon, right?" she asked hopefully, wrapping her fingers around Scotty's. Ben Valens winked.

"You can count on it."

* * *

So I know ya'll are just dying to know why Elena was such a bitch, and what Carlos has to do with it, right? And who is Carlos anyway? Just to clarify, speech marks+italics= Spanish speaking. Italics on their own= a thought, an idea, etc etc. If not, assume it's pretty much conversational Spanish. Nothing of great importance was said. And if you want the translations, just let me know. Maybe in a review...


	14. I Spy

A/N Yeah, so...I don't know whether it was IAB, or IAD, or what, so you'll probably find a mixture of both in this chapter. Just know that I mean the group of people that interviewed Scotty after Lilly was shot. Nasty people. And Kite fans beware: slight bashing ahead. I promise that he turns out to be a Nice Person later! I also wasn't certain of the name of Mike's wife (Scotty's sister-in-law), so I went with what I'd seen most often- Allie. Oh yeah, and I'm pretty sure all those questions about Elena will be answered in the next chapter!

Disclaimer: Agent Jacobs is mine. The rest can be found at various retailers across America. Prices may vary.

* * *

"Human resources? Internal affairs?" Vera echoed in horror. Stillman nodded grimly.

"They're out on a witch hunt. Someone will be around to talk to all of you at some point today."

Scotty and Lilly exchanged anxious glances. Scotty cleared his throat.

"Uh, boss? What about…you know…"

"We can't talk to IAD," Lilly said worriedly. Their boss shook his head.

"It's not optional, Rush."

Lilly sighed heavily. Vera and Jeffries watched, frowns of worry creasing their foreheads.

"If IAD find out about Lil an' Scotty, they could lose their jobs!" Miller pointed out. Stillman shrugged.

"So don't let them find out."

"Boss, IAD have been convinced Lil an' Scotty are sleeping together for years. You know that they're just lookin' for proof?" she replied.

Stillman nodded.

"I had an idea that's what they wanted. And after the shooting…" Lilly sighed.

"They saw their chance," she finished. Scotty exchanged worried looks with his partner. Jeffries' eyes clouded in sympathy. _Poor Lil. Hell, poor Scotty. IAB's makin' 'em choose between their jobs...or each other. Thank the Lord that they're damn good liars._

"Don't worry," he said, "They ain't gonna get anythin' from us."

* * *

The early morning passed by on tenterhooks. The Cold Case team consumed numerous cups of coffee, desperately trying to keep their nerves under control. Stillman beckoned Lilly into his office.

"Shut the door, Rush." Her heart plummeted.

"They know, don't they?" He shook his head.

"No, but I've just found out where the tip off came from."

Lilly frowned slightly.

"Where?" Stillman's face was serious.

"The DA's office," he replied. Lilly felt her breath catch in her throat.

"Kite." Her boss nodded.

"Probably. Looks like he has something to say about you and Scotty."

Lilly sighed.

"This is exactly why Kite and I broke up in the first place."

"Because of you and Scotty?" Stillman asked in confusion.

"No, because Kite's an idiot."

* * *

Things began to get interesting at around 11am. Lilly, fed up of waiting, stood up.

"Tell Boss I'm going out." Scotty nodded absently.

"Rush," Stillman said. She stopped, her heart sinking.

The detectives looked up as their boss led a woman into the bullpen.

"This is Agent Jacobs. She'll be talking to you." Lilly examined the agent standing before them. She was pretty, but there was a certain coldness about her. Her chin length brown hair was perfectly styled, but looked out of place on the woman's hard, yet impossibly perfect, features.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Jacobs said. Vera turned his head away.

"Wish I could say the same," he muttered. Jeffries chuckled. Stillman hid a smile.

"Who would you like first?" Jacobs immediately looked towards Lilly.

"Detective Rush, I think."

Lilly backed up, smirking as she pulled on her coat.

"Sorry, I have to go castrate a lawyer." Scotty stifled a laugh as she walked out of the department. Stillman smiled apologetically at Agent Jacobs.

"Maybe work up to her."

* * *

"So, what exactly does being a Cold Case detective mean?" Miller raised her eyebrows, sitting back in her chair.

"You tell me. You're the IAD agent."

"Why did you leave Narcotics?"

"It wasn't fun anymore."

Jacobs took a deep breath, her nostrils flaring.

"Tell me about your relationship with Nick Vera."

"He's a colleague and a friend."

"Just a friend?" Kat rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, just a friend. I get that that might be hard for you to understand."

"What would happen if Nick Vera got transferred into a different department?"

Miller ignored the slight increase in her heart rate. She shrugged carelessly.

"There'd be more donuts for the rest of us."

* * *

The car door slammed shut as Lilly stormed across the plaza.

"Kite!" she shouted. He turned, his eyes widening. Lilly stopped in front of him, trying not to pummel him. "You son of a bitch!"

Kite glanced around anxiously.

"Jesus, Lilly! Will you keep it down?"

"You called IAD!" He smirked.

"What's the matter, Rush? Got something to hide?"

She glared up at him.

"We broke up, Kite. Leave me alone!" He shook his head.

"I always knew there was something going on between you and Valens. But you'd keep denying it. He doesn't deserve you, Lilly. He even screwed your sister."

Lilly smiled pityingly.

"And I would **still** rather be with him than with you." Kite's face fell, and it seemed as though Lilly's point had finally reached home.

"So I really have no chance of getting you back?" She shook her head.

"No, Jason."

He nodded, before turning on his heel and walking away. Lilly released a sigh of relief. _Finally. Pity he's already called IAB. Oh well. _She smirked at the thought of the IAB agent interviewing her friends._ I can have some fun with Jacobs._

* * *

"You seem fairly…reliable, Detective." Jeffries chuckled.

"You could say that," he replied in his deep voice. Jacobs wrote something down in her notebook.

"So, who would you say is the most unreliable person on your team?" The big detective frowned.

"There isn't one. And if you're looking for one, you'll be here a while. We all have our faults."

Jacobs took a deep breath, trying to keep calm.

"OK, so who has the most faults?" Jeffries smirked.

"It depends." The IAD agent looked up.

"On what?" His smirk grew into a grin.

"On who's asking."

Jacobs narrowed her eyes.

"What if I'm asking?" Jeffries sat back in his seat, folding his arms.

"Listen, I'm not going to rat anybody out to IAD. We're just one big happy family."

"So it seems," Jacobs replied through gritted teeth.

"Anything else?"

"Send Detective Vera in on your way out."

* * *

"Are you hungry? I'm fuckin' starved." Jacobs sighed inwardly.

"No, I'm fine."

"Well, can I go and get somethin'? I think better when I eat."

"Really?"

"Does that make me guilty of somethin'? 'Cause right now, I think the only thing I'm guilty of is wantin' to murder a cheeseburger. An' as far as I'm aware, that ain't a crime."

Jacobs set her pen down in defeat.

"You're not going to tell me anything at all, are you?" Vera grinned.

"Nope."

* * *

Lilly arrived back at the precinct just as Jacobs called Scotty into the interview room. The partners shared a glance, but since the IAD agent was watching them like a hawk, it lasted no more than a second.

Scotty sat down at the table, uncomfortable with being in the 'hot seat'. _I'm supposed to be askin' the questions._

"How long have you worked with Detective Rush?" Jacobs began.

"Around five years."

"And how well would you say you know her?" Scotty smirked.

"Better than most."

Jacobs seized the opportunity.

"So you'd say that your relationship is not totally professional?" Scotty shrugged.

"She's my best friend. Apart from that, you ain't gonna find nothin'."

The woman changed tactics.

"You have a number of incidents listed on your record." Scotty nodded.

"I ain't sayin' I'm perfect." Jacobs glanced down at her file.

"Actually, it looks like Detective Rush was involved in some of those too."

"A few."

"So you don't exactly work well together?"

"That's not what I said…"

"But you agreed that Lilly had been involved in some of these incidents that have led to you being up before the IAD."

"She's my partner," he replied through gritted teeth. _How many times do I need to say that?_

* * *

"Rush, someone to see you!" Miller called. Lilly looked up in surprise. A dark haired man raised a hand in greeting.

"You gotta be Lilly, right?" She blinked, recognition causing trepidation to rise up in her chest.

"Mike! What are you doing here?"

"Mom an' Pops said I missed quite a party. Had to come down an' meet Scotty's _querida_."

Casting an anxious look towards the interview room, the blonde detective grabbed Scotty's brother by the elbow and led him into the break room.

"Did anyone talk to you on the way up?"

"Lilly, are you OK?"

She shut the door.

"Someone ratted us out to Internal Affairs and there's an agent talking to everyone and she's trying to prove there's something between me and Scotty and if they find out that we're together then they could move one of us to a different department and I don't know if I can handle not working with him because that would be completely awful," she explained hurriedly, not pausing for breath.

Mike placed his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to stand still.

"Hey, calm down." The woman nodded, taking a deep breath.

"You look so much like Scotty, I didn't want them to see me talking to you, and I didn't want her to put the pieces together. Crap. This isn't how I wanted you to meet me," she said apologetically. He chuckled.

"Relax. We'll just start over. Hi, I'm Mike Valens, the older brother."

Lilly took a deep breath, laughing softly.

"Lilly Rush, the girlfriend. Can I get you some coffee?"

"No, thanks. I know the rocket fuel you detectives drink. 'Sides, I just came by to say hello. An' from the looks of things, this isn't the best time." Lilly shook her head, smiling regretfully.

"You must think I'm some sort of weird...person."

"Well..." Mike replied thoughtfully, earning an even bigger smile from the detective.

"Maybe...I don't know...maybe you'd both like to come to dinner one night?" Lilly asked slowly, the unfamiliar words rolling off her tongue.

"Yeah. I think Allie would like that. Now, go kick some IAD butt."

* * *

Back in the interview room, Scotty sighed heavily. _So this is what it's like to be interrogated. _Jacobs sat in silence for a moment, writing in her notebook.

"Detective Rush has a habit of getting herself into difficult situations." _That ain't a question, dumbass, _Scotty thought.

"I guess."

"I mean, she entered a relationship with a man who was supposedly dead. Her sister, Christina, is wanted by the authorities. The incident with George Marks. Her mother drank herself to death. She was shot. A never-ending list of trouble."

Scotty glared at her.

"You got a point?"

"Why do you think that is? Do you think Detective Rush _wants_ the trouble? Do you think she wants the pain?" Jacobs asked maliciously. Scotty felt his temper rising. Desperately trying to control his anger, he stood up, and headed towards the door.

"I ain't got nothin' else to say to you."

Storming out of the interrogation room, he left Jacobs sitting alone. Lilly, having seen Mike Valens out of the department, glanced up as the door was flung open, and felt her heart sink as she saw Scotty look in her direction, before heading down to the evidence locker. Vera followed her line of vision.

"Aw, don't worry, Lil. She probably jus' pissed him off."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Lilly replied quietly. _That's exactly what I'm afraid of._

"You want me to talk to him?" She shook her head.

"I'm the only one left. Then she'll be gone."

* * *

Jacobs readjusted her position in the uncomfortable wooden seat. She took a deep breath, and forced herself to look up. Lilly smirked, her piercing blue eyes cold.

"I scare you."

Agent Jacobs blushed, and shook her head.

"You don't scare me, as such. You confuse me." _Well, that's not hard,_ Lilly thought. Jacobs cleared her throat.

"Your partner, Detective Valens, has recently been the subject of an IAD investigation."

Lilly paused, before replying.

"Detective Valens shot a suspect who had taken the department hostage," she began, falling into the explanation she had given so many times before, "He did the right thing."

"Because he saved your life?"

"Yes. Because he saved my life."

Jacobs smirked, scribbling notes down on her pad.

"Describe your relationship with Scotty Valens." Lilly felt her heart jump.

"He's a good friend," she replied coolly. Jacobs leant forward.

"Are you just 'good friends', or is there more?" she asked curiously.

"We're best friends," Lilly said. She paused, watching the other woman's eyes light up.

Jacobs leant even closer.

"Go on," she urged excitedly. Lilly mimicked her movement, sitting forward in her seat to lean over the desk.

"Scotty is the bravest, strongest, most dedicated detective that I know. I know there is no one I would rather have as my partner. And you know what else?"

"What?"

"I'm not giving you **anything** that could jeopardize his career," Lilly finished, her voice hardening. Jacobs sat back in disappointment.

"Anything else?" she said in defeat. Lilly smirked.

"No, I think that just about covered it," she said brightly. Jacobs sighed. Lilly smiled innocently. "Are we done here?" The IAD agent nodded. The blonde detective tilted her head to the side, determined to have the last word.

"Don't let the door kick you on the way out."

* * *

Agent Jacobs stormed out of the office. Lilly appeared in the doorway behind her, a smug smile on her face. Scotty knew that smile. It was the smile that said _I win_. Jacobs stopped in front of Stillman. He raised his eyebrows.

"Well?" The IAD agent gave the Cold Case squad a dirty look.

"They're stubborn, pig-headed, uncooperative, fiercely loyal, and a complete pain in the ass."

The five detectives stood around Scotty's desk, watching the IAD agent with the same satisfied grin. Lilly and Scotty looked at each other.

"I love you," he mouthed. She blushed, her smile widening.

"I love you, too," she mouthed in return. Casting a sneaky glance at Jacobs, Scotty winked.

Hearing Lilly laugh, the IAD agent glared at them over her shoulder.

"Are you taking this any further?" Stillman asked in amusement. Jacobs sighed heavily.

"No. Despite…everything, you're team is effective, and I'd hate to be the one to split them up." Behind her, the detectives grinned triumphantly.

Stillman led her towards the door.

"I'm sorry you had to come all the way down here," he lied, fighting back a smile. Jacobs stopped as she walked past Lilly and Scotty. They looked up at her, wearing innocent smiles.

"I hope you two are very happy together," she said, allowing a tiny smirk to tug at the corner of her lips.

The department doors swung shut behind her, and the team released a collective sigh of relief. Vera shivered, shaking his head.

"I think she gave me a hernia," he muttered. Miller laughed, patting his arm.

"Come on, Nick. I'll buy you a donut."

"With frosting?"

"With frosting _and_ sprinkles."

* * *

I hope I did them justice. Thanks to everyone who's following this fic- your reviews are doing wonders for my ego! We've had to widen the doorframes, just for my head. May I have another one? Please?


	15. Trial And Error

A/N Wow. Thanks SO much to all of you guys that reviewed the last chapter! Sorry if I didn't reply to each individual review- had trouble with a little thing called Real Life. BTW, I don't really know how things work in court, so any lawyers/law students out there, maybe you could give me a hint? I also apologize for taking so long to update, but then again, I did make this chapter quite long!

Disclaimer: I got plenty o' nothin', an' nothin' is plenty fo' me. Wait. Didn't I already use that disclaimer?

* * *

"So you two made up, huh?" Miller called. Lilly smiled to herself, lowering herself into her seat.

"Yeah."

"Finally. You two were drivin' me crazy," Vera said with a roll of his eyes. Miller chuckled. The blonde detective narrowed her eyes.

"We didn't exactly enjoy it." Scotty appeared behind her, placing a quick kiss to her cheek.

"Nope."

Vera sighed heavily.

"An' now we're back to kissin' and stuff," he grumbled. Before she could think of a biting reply, Lilly felt her cell phone vibrate. Miller grinned, watching as her colleague gave Vera a dirty look, before standing aside to take the call.

"Saved by the phone." The burly detective swiped a hand across his brow in mock relief.

A few moments later, Lilly put the phone down.

"Scotty," she said quietly. He stood up, following her into the break room.

"What's up, Lil?" She turned to him, resting her head against his chest. Deciding to go with it, Scotty wrapped his arms around her.

"That was the jail. Chris' appeal date has been set," Lilly said bitterly, her voice soft. Scotty felt his breath hitch.

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"Are you goin'?"

"Do I have a choice?"

Scotty cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Do you…do you want me to…?" Lilly looked up at him, smiling slightly.

"No, it's OK. I won't torture you like that," she replied. Her partner breathed an audible sigh of relief, and placed a kiss of gratitude on his girlfriend's forehead.

"Thanks, Lil."

She shrugged, burying her face into his shirt.

"But I don't want to drive up there on my own. I'll ask Boss if he'll go with me."

* * *

Of course, Stillman had no problem taking Lilly up to New York. _Better me than Scotty, _he thought with a wry smile. _Otherwise I could have ended up with two of my detectives locked up for disrupting the court. Christina always manages to bring out the fighting side of them._

The drive was long and boring, with Stillman recognising his detective's need to get her head around the day's events. Lilly looked out of the window. From the corner of his eye, Stillman studied her carefully, half of his attention remaining on the road.

"Stop looking at me," she said quietly. He smiled.

"You didn't have to go."

"She's my sister."

"When it suits her."

They were silent for a while.

"I was jealous. That's why I was so mad at him." Stillman chuckled.

"You? Jealous?" he asked in mock disbelief.

"I wanted him, and she got him."

"So why didn't you do anything about it?"

"In his words, he's a grown man. He can date who he wants."

"And now he's dating you," he pointed out. Lilly felt a satisfied smile appear on her lips.

"And now he's dating me."

* * *

Stillman and Lilly slipped into the courtroom, heading for the empty seats halfway up. Christina turned around to see who had entered late, and seeing her sister standing there, her eyes widened.

For a moment, two sets of identical blue eyes stared at each other. After what seemed like years, Chris looked away, lowering her gaze to the floor. Lilly sat down beside Stillman, crossing her legs.

"Would the defendant and council please rise?"

Christina and her lawyer stood up. Lilly straightened up, curious to see the expression on her sister's face.

"Miss Rush, information has been brought to our attention showing that you were not solely responsible for the crimes held against you. I am hereby reducing the length of your sentence by three years, bringing it to to a total of four years from hereon, served in a correctional facility."

The lawyer smiled gratefully.

"Thank you, your Honour." The judge nodded.

"Detective Rush, the court would like to thank you for your letter of personal appeal, and the evidence you provided. Miss Rush, consider yourself lucky. Your sister is the one responsible for the reduction of your sentence." Christina head shot around to look at Lilly, her eyes wide in shock.

Lilly looked away, her cheeks turning pink. Stillman bent his head to whisper in her ear.

"You wrote to the judge?" he asked softly. She nodded. The judge banged his gavel on the dock, and announced that court was adjourned. Lilly stood up quickly, hoping to slip out. She felt a hand on her sleeve, and turned back.

Christina gave her a small smile, tears filling up her eyes. Two officers stood at her side, silver cuffs at the ready.

"I just wanted to say thanks. You don't know how grateful I am." Lilly nodded, her face blank.

"It's nothing." Chris cleared her throat awkwardly.

"How's Scotty?"

"He's fine."

"That's good." The officers took a step forward.

"Detective, we have to take her now." Lilly moved backwards. Chris felt tears spill over her eyelids.

"Can I write to you?" she asked softly. Her sister nodded.

As the trio began to walk away, Lilly reached out to touch her sister's shoulder.

"You'll be fine, Chris," she said quietly. Christina smiled gratefully, and allowed herself to be led off. Stillman appeared at the detective's elbow.

"Rush?"

"Let's go."

* * *

As soon as they were in the car, Lilly seemed to deflate, and she stifled a sigh. _I guess that's it. Why do I feel bad? _Stillman looked across at her.

"I'm giving you the afternoon off."

"No, boss, I'm fine."

"Did that sound optional, Rush?"

Lilly narrowed her eyes at him, pouting slightly.

"Why does everyone keep telling me to take a break?"

"Maybe because you're the only person who works on Christmas Day?"

"There were things that needed to be done!"

"But not on Christmas Day."

The blonde detective tried another approach.

"Please, boss," she begged, "let me stay. I can help." He arched an eyebrow, keeping his eyes on the road.

"I've worked with you for nearly six years, Lil. You're tricks don't work on me anymore," he said lightly.

With a heavy sigh of defeat, she sank back in the passenger seat, glaring out of the window.

"They work on Scotty," she muttered under her breath. Stillman chuckled.

"Don't I know it. That man is your personal doormat."

_

* * *

_

_I didn't need the afternoon off, _Lilly thought moodily, absently running her hand through Tripod's fur. The blonde detective cast an irritated glance at the clock._ 6:17? Is that it? This is why I never take days off. I never know what to do._ A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth._ Unless Scotty's home. Then…well, then I'm never bored._

The loud, irritating ring of her phone disrupted the calm. She flipped it open, frowning at the unrecognised number.

"Rush."

"Lilly, help me."

The detective sat up straight on the sofa. Recognition of the voice slammed into her like a thunderbolt.

"Elena?"

"He's following me, Lilly, please…"

Lilly, having picked up on the urgency in Elena's voice, was already moving, her mind set in cop-mode. She grabbed her keys and her gun, hurriedly locking the front door behind her. The phone still clamped to her ear, Lilly quickly pulled out of the drive, her mind racing.

"Where are you?"

When Scotty's sister replied, it was hard to miss the fear in her voice.

"Uh…7th Avenue. Heading towards King." Lilly put her foot down, aiming to get ahead of the woman.

"Keep walking," she instructed gently.

Elena swallowed hard, sounding as if she was fighting back tears.

"Keep walking where?"

"Just keep walking straight on," Lilly repeated firmly. _I really hope I'm not too late._

* * *

Lilly huddled in the doorway, rubbing her arms. She didn't have a jacket. _Why am I even doing this? She was a complete bitch the other night, _she thought darkly. The calm, logical side of her mind was determined to have the last word. _You're doing this because you're a good person. And because it's Scotty's sister. And because you know better than anybody what kind of people live on these streets._

The detective gave an involuntary shudder. She had parked further down the street, waiting for Elena to walk past. Lilly had seen the shady figure following Scotty's sister, and knew immediately who it was. The dark haired woman jumped as Lilly stepped out of the shadows.

Realising who it was, Elena breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lilly!" The detective gave Lena a reassuring, albeit brief, smile.

"Are you OK?" she asked guardedly.

"Yeah. Just…"

"I know. Come on."

* * *

With the threat no longer pressing down on them, the two women endured the car ride in awkward silence.

"I didn't know who else to call," Lena said eventually, watching as the detective pulled up outside her house. Lilly didn't reply, but her eyes softened slightly. _Oh, this is going to be fun, _she thought sarcastically. _So much fun._

Heading up the front path, she unlocked the front door, standing aside to allow Elena inside. Scotty's sister anxiously tugged at the sleeve of her jacket, moving into the living room. The detective watched her for a moment, quietly shutting the door. _Well, this could __**not**__ be more awkward._

Elena turned to Lilly, frowning slightly.

"Thanks. I panicked. Didn't mean to disrupt your evening."

"It's fine."

"Lilly?" The detective arched a questioning eyebrow. "I'm sorry. About the other night."

Lilly ignored the apology, knowing that fear could make people say the strangest things, and headed towards the kitchen.

"Coffee?" Lena chuckled, following her brother's girlfriend.

"You sure know how to hold a grudge, don't you?"

The blonde woman flicked the kettle on, the tension beginning to give her a headache.

"No, I am not holding a grudge. If I was holding a grudge, trust me, you'd know about it. The other night, you made me feel like a piece of shit on your shoe. You embarrassed me in front of your father, and made it really hard to make a good impression. Imagine being stuck with a group of people who you've never met, who speak a language you don't understand, and knowing that at least four of them are wondering when you're gonna crack. How long it'll be before you end up in hospital too. You used the **worst** things about my life against me, to what? Make me uncomfortable? I didn't even want to be there! Within ten minutes of meeting me, you had already reduced me to some blonde floozy in need of a good, strong man to look after me. So do you really think you can just call me up, ask for my help, give some lame ass apology, and then expect to be forgiven?" she said in a soft voice that was laced with anger.

For a moment, surprise flitted across Elena's face, but if she was taken aback, she showed no other signs.

"So why did you stay?" she replied. Lilly ignored her again, changing the subject.

"The man who was following you. You know him?"

"You do that a lot, don't you? Change the subject." Lilly looked up, her blue eyes blazing.

"If you want to stay in my house, stop insulting me," she snapped. This time, Elena had the decency to look ashamed. She hung her head, nodding slightly.

"I've never seen him," she replied in a low voice. The kettle switched itself off, and Lilly poured the water into two cups.

"The name Michael Marsden ring any bells?" she asked nonchalantly, stirring the coffee granules.

"No. Should it?"

Lilly shook her head, shrugging.

"I was just wondering. Milk?"

"Yes, please. I really am sorry," Elena said seriously. Lilly studied her for a moment, before nodding.

"Sugar?" she offered.

"No, thanks."

The detective led the way into the living room, indicating the sofa. Elena took the far end of the sofa, and Lilly took the armchair opposite, carefully laying her gun on the coffee table. For a while, they sat in an uncomfortable silence. Lilly watched Lena, seeing the way she delicately held the mug. With a sigh, the detective took a deep breath.

"Why did you call me?"

Elena looked up in surprise.

"Excuse me?" Lilly shrugged.

"You could have called anyone else. Why me?" Scotty's sister nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Scotty gets too overprotective, my parents are too old to be chasing around after me, Mike has a family to look after, and I guess…I guess I just panicked."

Lilly nodded.

"OK." Elena smiled nervously.

"So…are we…friends?" The blonde woman couldn't help but laugh.

"Why do I feel like I'm in fifth grade?" Lena grinned, and moved further up the sofa.

"I know. Look, I shouldn't have mentioned…what, uh…what happened to, uh, you." Lilly felt a twinge of pain in her shoulder.

Before she could reply, Olivia and Tripod scuttled out from the bedroom, hopping into her lap. They stared at Elena critically, purring softly as Lilly stroked their necks.

"Lena, these are my cats. Tripod and Olivia." The dark haired woman laughed.

"Scotty hates cats." Lilly smirked.

"Not anymore."

Sniffing around, the two cats finally settled down. Elena set down her coffee, smoothing out an imaginary crease in her jeans. Lilly watched her over the top of her own mug, her blue eyes fixed on Scotty's sister.

"You know, uh...I was just...do you have siblings?" she asked suddenly.

The detective hesitated, something that did not go unnoticed by Elena, before nodding slowly.

"A sister." The younger woman frowned slightly.

"But..." she hinted.

Lilly sighed.

"Christina is...Chris has a habit of getting herself...and everyone around her...into trouble," she said falteringly. Elena nodded, a distant look coming across her face.

"It seems like she just can't help it, right? Sometimes it's like they ruin everything," she said sadly.

The blonde detective felt her breath catch in her throat, remembering a time when she'd said those exact words to Chris.

"_Don't you know by now that you ruin everything you touch?" Somewhere deep inside, she felt a tiny pang of guilt at the look of hurt that appeared on her sister's face._

"_I don't...ruin things."_

Lilly felt a prickle of regret run down her spine, and took another sip of coffee.

"Someone broke your heart," she said softly, "I'm guessing maybe a couple of months ago? It's...long enough, to try and move forward, but still fresh. Raw."

Elena glanced up in shock, her expression panicked. _Dammit. I knew there was a reason Scotty told me to tread carefully. Even Mike warned me that Lilly would turn the tables at any chance she got. _The detective continued, her blue eyes glittering intensely.

"He probably ran into some trouble. Dragged you into the middle. Tried to clean up his act, but Philly's a tough city. It's hard to start again."

Scotty's sister swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat. She shivered, hugging her jumper around her body.

"Carlos was my...his name was Carlos. Mike called him 'damaged goods'. How...do...how did you know?"

Lilly shrugged, smiling sadly.

"An educated guess. Saw how badly you were hurting." The question appeared across Lena's face, and Lilly sighed.

"The pain in your eyes," she explained quietly, "is...familiar."

"Why?"

The detective studied Elena for a moment, before giving a slight shake of her head.

"Because up until three months ago, that pain, the pain of having everything good stripped from you, was reflected back at me every time I looked in the mirror."

Elena was silent, tears appearing in her eyes.

"I really loved him," she whispered, and Lilly wondered if the comment had really been meant for her ears. _Why am I treating her like a suspect? Fuck. Could I be **any** more screwed up?_

The detective stood up suddenly, reaching for the younger woman's coat.

"Come on," she said gently, "I'll take you home."

* * *

I am in love with Lilly's rant. I had a mental video clip of that actually being written into the show. Except the circumstances were slightly different, obviously! Anyway, I didn't really like the way this chapter ended, but otherwies I would have been going on **forever**. You know what's on my Christmas list, right? Take a wild guess. Starts with 'R'.


	16. Picture Of Health

**A/N** Hello. My name is Parker- some of you may know me as FloatingAmoeba's other half! But I call her Joey. Unfortunately, she was in a major car accident yesterday, and has a few serious injuries. She's sleeping. Hence why I'm eating her butterscotch pudding _now, _rather than later... FloatingAmoeba would like to apologize for the wait. Actually, I believe the exact words were 'S**T! How long has it been?'. So, here I am, under strict instructions to a) write something at the top of the page, b) write something at the bottom of the page, and c) to try and post this chapter. Obviously, if you're reading this message, then it worked, and I won't be castrated with a spoon.

Disclaimer: I looked at the disclaimers on her other chapters, and actually, quite a lot of those belong to me. Cold Case doesn't, though. Except Lilly Rush. In my dreams. Boy is Joey gonna be mad when she reads what I've written...

* * *

Much later, Scotty shut the door behind him, quietly creeping into the bedroom. After stripping down to his boxers, and cleaning his teeth, the detective slid into bed beside his partner.

"You're not asleep, are you?" he asked softly. Lilly laughed, rolling towards him. She moved her cheek onto his chest, wrapping an arm tightly around his waist.

"Your sister was here."

Scotty blinked in surprise, stroking the skin on her arm.

"Lena? Why?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because you'll get mad, and then you'll storm out, and then I won't be able to sleep because I'll be worrying about what you're going to do."

The male detective frowned.

"Lil, what's goin' on?" She kissed his cheek.

"Do you trust me?" Scotty rolled onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow to look down at her.

"Of course I trust you. Lil, you're scarin' me."

Lilly looked at him, her blue eyes meeting his brown ones.

"Marsden followed Lena from the bar she's working at. She realised she was being followed, and called me. I brought her back here, then took her home."

Scotty's jaw clenched, and as he looked away angrily, his eyes hardened. Lilly rolled her eyes, turning his head back to look at her.

"You said you trusted me. When I picked her up, I went back a different route from the one I normally take. When I took her home, I drove round the block three times to make sure I wasn't being followed."

Seeing the reassuring look in his girlfriend's eyes, Scotty exhaled slowly. He brought his lips down to hers in a soft, tender kiss. Lilly pulled him down beside her. The male detective rested his chin on her head.

"Sorry. I just…"

"I know. She's your little sister. You have serious issues when it comes to over-protectiveness. I get it, Scotty."

He laughed. _See? This is why I love her. She always makes everythin' better._

"You're right. I love you, Lil."

"I know. I love you too. Stop worrying."

"OK."

"How was work?"

"It sucked. You weren't there."

"Had to go to court."

"Missed you."

"I missed you too."

"I love you."

"So you said."

* * *

"So Marsden's upping his game?" Vera said. Lilly nodded, stifling a yawn. _It's too early. Why am I so tired?_

"He's dangerous," she admitted. Jeffries and Stillman exchanged concerned looks. _No way am I letting her get close to another psychopathic killer, _the big detective thought protectively.

"I'll put an assigned unit onElena," Stillman said. Vera frowned slightly.

"How's Valens doin'? He doesn't need IAD on his ass again."

Lilly smirked slightly, rubbing her back. _I told Scotty we needed a new mattress._

"Why? You don't fancy another visit from Agent Jacobs?" Stillman looked at her, noting the dark circles under her eyes, and the anxious dullness still hovering in her eyes.

"Vera's right, Rush," he said gravely, "Is Scotty about to go AWOL?" She shook her head, her face turning serious.

"No, boss."

"And you're prepared to be held responsible if he takes matters into his own hands?"

The blonde detective narrowed her eyes at the three older men.

"He's not a criminal," she snapped, turning on her heel and storming out. They watched her leave, stunned by her sudden mood swing. Jeffries sighed.

"Marsden is seriously starting to piss me off. And I haven't even met the guy."

* * *

The clock turned to 11am. Vera chewed thoughtfully on his pen.

"What's the date?" he asked. Miller glanced up.

"17th."

Lilly's eyes flicked up.

"No, it's not." Her two colleagues exchanged glances. Miller cleared her throat.

"Yeah, Lil, it is." Lilly blinked.

"The 17th. As in the day after the 16th?"

"Uh…"

The blonde detective felt her face go pale. _Seventeenth…that's…nine days too…_

"What month?" she asked shakily. Vera frowned.

"You got amnesia or somethin'?"

"Vera!" she interrupted sharply, "What month?"

"November."

She felt a churning in her stomach, and her head spun with a mixture of nausea and stunned realisation. She walked quickly to the bathroom, the one possibility looming. _Like a dark cloud full of crap, _she thought.

Miller raised her eyebrows curiously.

"What's her problem?" Vera asked. Miller frowned slightly, her mind spinning in circles.

"I don't know," she lied softly, staring at the closed bathroom door. _I don't know. But I can guess._

Scotty appeared from the break room.

"Any of you slackers seen Lil?" Vera nodded.

"She's…"

"Just gone somewhere. Said she'll be right back." The burly detective frowned slightly. _What the hell is goin' on with the women in this joint? Someone spike the soap in the ladies?_

The younger detective sat down at his desk, waiting for his partner.

"Nicky, you catch the Phillies game?"

"Do I look like a baseball guy to you, Valens?"

"You look like a round kinda guy to me," Miller said with a smirk. Vera glared at her.

"Was I talkin' to you? No. I wasn't talkin' to you. So butt out."

The trio was silent for a minute.

"Baseballs are round."

"I'm warnin' you, Miller."

"Jesus, Nick. Who spat in your coffee?"

* * *

Lilly leant over the sink, splashing cold water up into her face. _I'm an idiot. Someone take away my badge. I don't deserve to be a detective. _She swore softly.

"Dammit, Rush. You couldn't even get that right," she mumbled, pushing away from the counter. _How could I have missed that? DAMMIT! Idiot. This is all Scotty's fault. Oh, shit. Scotty!_

Lilly emerged from the bathroom, wiping her sleeve over her mouth, and looking decidedly worse than she had a few moments before. _Time to face the crowd, _she thought, her head still reeling. Missing all the signs, Scotty grinned up at her. Miller, however, had seen Lilly dash to the toilet, and had seen the little colour drain from her face. _Wait a minute…_

The blonde detective caught Kat's questioning glance, complete with confused realisation. Lilly shook her head slightly. _Crap, _she thought, _I forgot Miller was here. _Kat nodded slowly, her own smile appearing around her lips.

"Later," Lilly mouthed. Her friend nodded. _Guess I was right._

Stillman stuck his head out of his office.

"Rush, Miller, go and talk to this Greg person. No-one's spoken to him." Lilly snapped out of her astonished daze.

"I did. On the phone." Her boss nodded.

"Good. Get down to the church. I want Marsden caught ASAP."

* * *

As soon as the car door was shut, Miller set upon Lilly.

"Spill, Rush." Lilly gave her a small smile.

"There's a chance…a good chance, I'm pregnant," she said quietly. Miller laughed, placing a hand on her colleagues shoulder.

"Congratulations, Lil." Lilly frowned.

"Thanks. I think."

Miller raised her eyebrows.

"You think?" The blonde detective sighed.

"It's all happening so fast. We've been together for three months, we've already moved in together, and now I'm pregnant with Scotty's child," she blurted. Her colleague chuckled.

"This is good, Lilly. Surely gettin' pregnant can't be a bad thing?"

Lilly sighed.

"I might not even **be **pregnant," she said, trying desperately to believe her own words. Miller chuckled, turning to pull on her seatbelt.

"Trust me, Lil. Anyone who throws up for no apparent reason, flips out for no reason, and freaks when she hears the date has to be pregnant."

"But I might not be," Lilly protested feebly.

Miller shrugged.

"Might not. But judging from your response this mornin', you're more than a few days late. You wanna stop off to buy a test?" Lilly was silent for a while, taking things in. Miller glanced at her from the corner of her eye, waiting for her colleague to get her head together.

Eventually, Lilly spoke.

"I really should, shouldn't I?" The curly haired detective nodded sagely.

"You really should. But hey, at least the test isn't hard. All you gotta do is pee on a stick."

"You're not helping."

"Sorry."

* * *

Miller and Rush walked forward in silence. A young man sat in the front pew, and stood up as they approached.

"Detective Rush?" he asked. Lilly nodded, introducing Kat.

"This is my colleague, Detective Miller."

The man held his hand out for the detectives to shake.

"Greg Anderson. Thanks for coming." Lilly nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. The man continued anxiously. "Adam and Cady, are they OK? I was worried. They're so young, and…"

"They're fine," Miller interrupted.

He breathed a sigh of relief. Lilly hid a smile.

"You knew the Marsden family?" Greg grinned sheepishly.

"Yes, ma'am. Mrs Marsden was my tenth grade tutor." Lilly and Kat exchanged glances.

"So you'd know the family quite well?" Miller asked.

Greg nodded.

"I guess. But…Adam came to me a few months ago. He said…he said he'd heard Mike telling Fr. David about…but he's eight. I guess he was probably exaggerating." Lilly folded her arms defensively.

"Do you have any reason to think Adam would lie?"

Miller sighed inwardly, recognising the battle guns blazing in her colleague. _Poor kid. Never even stood a chance. _Greg shifted uncomfortably.

"No. Uh, but, uh, he's a kid. Kids make stuff up, right?" he stammered. Lilly narrowed her eyes.

"Right," Miller agreed.

"But isn't murder a little extreme for an exaggeration?" the blonde detective continued. Miller took a step forward before the young man could answer.

"We'll be in touch. Thanks for your help."

The dark haired detective practically dragged Lilly back down the aisle, pushing her through the doors.

"What was that for? He was just about to tell us something!" Lilly exploded. Miller frowned slightly.

"OK, I'm gonna let you off, because you're pregnant."

Lilly scowled.

"I'm not pregnant," she lied, more for the sake of having the last word, rather than convincing herself. Miller rolled her eyes.

"You better be pregnant, Rush, or you just yelled at some teenager for no reason."

The blonde detective didn't speak for a moment. _She's right. Of course she's right. _With a heavy sigh, Lilly smiled sheepishly.

"Is it too early to blame the hormones?"

* * *

Lilly stood in front of the mirror, wearing nothing but her black bra and panties. She stared at her reflection, searching for any sign of the tiny person growing inside her. _Nothing. Maybe Miller's wrong. Maybe the test was wrong. Maybe I'm not pregnant, _she thought.

"What was that, Lil?" Scotty called from the bathroom.

Her eyes widened. _Shit! Did I say that out loud?_

"I said maybe we were wrong. Maybe Kate Marsden was pregnant," she lied. Her boyfriend appeared in the doorway, undoing the buttons on his shirt.

"Doctors doin' the autopsy didn't find nothin."

Lilly shrugged.

"It was just an idea." Scotty nodded.

"We should check it out. Maybe the doctors made a mistake or somethin'," he replied with a grin. She smiled faintly, reaching for her pyjama bottoms. _Yeah, right. A mistake._

_

* * *

_

Oooh. That's the first time I've read that. From reading that chapter, I still have absolutely no idea what's going on. Except for the fact that there's gonna be a little person entering the world...Sleeping Beauty's awake now, BTW, and is currently informing me that "Adam and Cady haven't disappeared, you know. They'll be back!". Complete with Arnie voice. I take it Adam and Cady mean something to you guys, right? I'm also being instructed to ask nicely for reviews. Anyway, I have to go get castrated now! See ya!


	17. I'll Cover You

A/N Wow. I am so sorry, you guys. So here's the full story. That car accident where everyone said Joey would be fine? Well, they lied. She was in a coma for nearly a week. Yeah, I know. It sucked. But anyway, **SHE'S AWAKE NOW! PARTAAAY! **That's why there have been no updates- things have been kinda hectic. But I've got this chapter ready to go on Joey's behalf. That's still OK with you guys, right? Plus, if you keep your eyes open, they'll also be a oneshot appearing. My other half sends her apologies, BTW, and would like you to know that she will be back with you ASAP. We hope. Oh, and she has yet to see my previous remark about Kathryn Morris. If we could just keep that between us, that would be great...

Disclaimer: So what exactly am I supposed to write?

* * *

From his position at the breakfast bar, Scotty studied her critically, his eyes searching her face. Something was off. Her eyes were too dark, her face too pale.

"You alright, Lil?"

She looked up at him, effortlessly sliding behind her mask.

"I'm fine, Scotty," she said with a quick smile.

"You sure about that?"

"Just tired."

He nodded briefly, watching as Lilly turned her attention back to her cereal, just not quick enough to hide the guilt that flashed across her face. His throat was suddenly dry, his vest suddenly too tight.

She was lying to him. He would have missed it if he didn't know her as well as he did. But Scotty knew as soon as he asked the question that whatever came out of her mouth would be a lie. He could call her on it- ask her why she was pretending to be OK. _That ain't the best idea, though. Lil obviously ain't gonna tell me._

From her position at the table, Lilly swore under her breath. Her game was up. Scotty had worked out, once again, that there was something eating her. _God knows how he does it, _she thought in confusion, _but he gets me every time._

Out of the blue, Lilly was overcome by the urge to re-establish the walls that had appeared again. She couldn't take him looking at her like that, like he could see right into the darkest corners of her soul. _I have to do something._ She stood up, moving around to stand behind him.

Scotty turned to face her, watching as a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.

"What?" he asked, his voice somewhere between amusement and confusion.

"Nothing," Lilly replied, her husky voice sending chills racing down his spine.

He knew exactly what she was doing- using arousal as a means to change the subject. But whether it was the intoxicating smell of Lilly's shampoo, or the way she was sliding her hands into his boxers, Scotty decided to roll with it. He'd find out what was tearing her apart eventually.

Decision made, the male detective returned her kisses fervently, smirking as Lilly's pyjama pants fell to the floor. She gasped slightly, taking his length in her fingers.

45 minutes later, they were finally ready to leave the house.

* * *

It was now blatantly obvious to Scotty that there was something wrong with his partner. She could barely stand to be within ten feet of him, let alone work with him. _An' I don't have a fuckin' clue what I've done._

For what had to have been the tenth time that minute, Lilly felt his eyes on her. She stood up suddenly, her temper giving way.

"I told you I was fine, Valens! Stop looking at me!" she snapped, storming off into the break room and slamming the door.

Stillman, who had stepped out of his office with the intention of talking to Scotty, watched the scene play out in front of him.

"You're seriously startin' to piss me off, Rush!" the young detective yelled after her.

The lieutenant sighed.

"Trouble in paradise?" he said. Scotty jumped, looking up at his boss guiltily.

"Sorry, boss. We'll...I'll..."

"I'll talk to her, Scotty. See if I can't get her sorted out."

Scotty felt a small smile appear around his lips.

"You want me to get you a bullet proof vest, boss?" he suggested, starting to think he might invest in his own set of body armour. Stillman chuckled.

"I've handled this kind of...situation...before. Grab Vera and follow up Miller's notes on Greg Anderson."

"Yeah, boss."

The lieutenant watched as Scotty gathered his coat, dialling Vera's number as he went.

"Yo, Nick, we got a..."

He shook his head, preparing himself for his next task. _I suppose this is what I get for missing out the first time round._

Stillman stopped short as he entered the break room. Lilly Rush was sitting slumped on the sofa, staring intently at her stomach. The lieutenant cleared his throat, causing Lilly to look up guiltily. _Crap, _she thought.

"Uh, hey, boss," she said slowly, praying that she sounded calmer than she felt.

"What are you doing, Lil?" her boss asked offhandedly. She blushed.

"Noth…"

"You wouldn't be searching for a bump, would you? Because if you were **that** far along, I would have hoped you would have already told me," Stillman interrupted matter-of-factly. Lilly closed her eyes in mortification, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She dislodged the lump that had risen in her throat, still unable to open her eyes.

"This isn't how you were supposed to find out."

Stillman tried to hide a smile.

"Lil, open your eyes."

The blonde did as she was told, unbidden tears springing up in her eyes. Her boss casually sat down beside her.

"You think I don't know what goes on within my own squad?"

Lilly swore softly. Stillman continued.

"And from the smile Miller's been wearing today, I don't think I'm the only one who knows." His detective's face paled in anxiety.

"You don't think she...?"

"I think Miller's smart enough to keep a secret, Lil."

"What am I supposed to do? Scotty thinks I hate him." The older detective chuckled.

"Telling him might be a good place to start."

"I can't," Lilly responded instantly. Stillman smiled inwardly, starting to get a picture of what had his favourite investigator so upset.

"You don't think he'd want to share some of your excitement?" he suggested craftily, looking across at her from the corner of his eye. Lilly looked up at him incredulously.

"Excitement? I didn't want this! I don't want to be a mother!"

_Bingo. _Stillman raised his eyebrows.

"No?" The woman hesitated.

"N-no..." she said, her voice wavering as she tried to sound convincing. Her boss nodded, her faltering tone not lost on him.

"Just out of interest," Stillman began casually, "if decided **not** to keep the baby, what would you do?"

Lilly blinked, feeling tears spring to her eyes.

"I'd...I'd..."

"Have you even _considered_ giving the baby up?" Stillman asked gently. His detective released a small sob, shaking her head.

"No."

The lieutenant smiled softly, daring to rest a hand on Lilly's arm. _Well. At least it's out there now._ Tears leaked from the corner of her eyes, trailing slowly down her cheeks. Stillman pressed a tissue into her hand.

"I know you're scared, Lil. But the fact that worrying about whether you're going to be a good mother has upset you this much? Well, it just shows that you already love this child more than anything."

Lilly sighed heavily.

"I wish...I just wish..."

"Wish what, Lil?"

It seemed the courage that had caused Lilly to begin whatever it was she was about to say had deserted her.

"It doesn't matter."

Recognising the look in her eyes, Stillman shook his head sadly.

"You think when he finds out about your life, he'll run a mile? Lil, he's already proven that he's gonna stick around. What else does he have to do?"

A single tear crept down her cheek.

"I'm taking my lunch break," she said, hurriedly wiping her face, "I have my cell if you need me."

She was gone before Stillman could protest. He sighed. _Dammit, Lil. I thought...dammit! Six years and you still pull one over on me._

* * *

Unfortunately for Rush, her plans for a hasty escape were hindered as soon as she stepped out into the bullpen.

"You look like crap."

Lilly winced. Miller continued to speak.

"Why haven't you told Scotty?" Lilly blushed, avoiding her colleague's piercing gaze.

"There hasn't exactly been a good time," she replied quietly. Miller sighed.

"You didn't tell him because you thought he'd leave. You didn't want to risk losing him," she said bluntly.

Seeing the guilty look on Lilly's face, Kat shook her head in disbelief. The detective felt tears appear in the corner of her eyes.

"You can't hide being pregnant forever. What were you planning to do? Get rid of it?"

Lilly's head jerked up, tears spilling over her eyelids.

"No! There's nothing I wouldn't already do for my baby!"

Scotty glanced in their direction, suspicion edging its way into his heart.

"Rush, we got a lead on Marsden's credit card receipt," he called, his voice dark with barely concealed anger. Lilly surreptitiously wiped a hand over her eyes, and sent him a tiny smile, watching as his face softened by a fraction.

"Be right there," she replied, taking Miller's elbow and tugging her to one side.

"What the hell, Rush! What are you doing?"

"Scotty's mad at me."

"And?"

The blonde's eyes were frantic with fear.

"He knows something's wrong, but I can't tell him yet! I need more time!" Miller shrugged.

"So? What am I supposed to do about it?"

"Go out on interviews with him."

"No," the dark haired detective interrupted.

"Please?" Lilly said desperately, "Just take him..."

"No, Rush. I am not taking Valens out of your way so you can get out of telling him you're pregnant!" Miller said sharply. Lilly caught her colleague's arm.

"Don't make me beg," she said softly. Miller sighed. She shook her head, waving a hand in defeat.

"You say all you need is time?"

The blonde detective exhaled slowly, relief evident on her face, and felt a tiny smile appear around her lips.

"All I need is time," she echoed in agreement. Miller nodded slowly, studying her friend critically.

"Alright, Lil, I'll do it. But you gotta tell him!" Lilly nodded vigorously.

"I know. I know."

Kat shook her head again, this time in disbelief.

"My God. You are one complicated piece of person," she murmured, turning on her heel. She stopped beside Scotty's desk.

"Come on, Romeo, we're leavin'."

Scotty frowned.

"Thought Lil was goin' wit' me?" She rolled her eyes.

"Well, I guess not."

The male detective looked across at his partner, who was conveniently avoiding his gaze. Biting his tongue to stop himself from snapping at his girlfriend, Scotty stood up, storming off to get his coat. When she was certain that he had gone, Lilly sank down in her seat, breathing a sigh of relief. She slowly raised her head, coming face to face with Miller's glare.

"I swear, Lil, if you don't work this out, I won't be held responsible for what I say."

Lilly's expression changed to one of complete terror.

"You wouldn't..."

Miller bent down to look the blonde detective in the eye.

"Try me," she said menacingly, dropping a piece of paper to the desk. Lilly watched her leave, before allowing her eyes to flick to the note.

_**Denial**_

_**Anger**_

_**Negotiation**_

_**Depression**_

_**Acceptance**_

Lilly dropped her head onto her arms.

"Shit."

* * *

Down in the parking garage, Scotty barely managed to refrain from slamming the car door. Miller gave a sideways glance, arching a curious eyebrow. She waited, having a pretty good idea what was eating him. Sure enough, the male detective didn't wait long.

"Lil's keepin' somethin' from me," he began in a low voice. Miller managed to keep her face neutral.

"Oh yeah?"

Scotty nodded.

"Somethin' ain't right. I know it."

"You tried talking to her?"

"Yeah. She said that she was just tired."

"So maybe that's all it is?" Miller suggested quietly. The male detective sighed heavily.

"Nah. I think it's bigger than that. She's barely talkin' to me, she don't want to work with me. I think she's about to call us off."

Kat chuckled, shaking her head. _Couldn't be more wrong, Valens._

"That's it? You go right ahead and jump to the lame ass conclusion that she doesn't love you anymore?"

"Well, what else am I supposed to think?" he replied defensively.

"Anything but that, Scotty."

Something in her tone, something in the way that it wasn't quite casual enough, made Scotty sit up straight.

"You know what's goin' on!" he said in realisation. Miller shrugged nonchalantly.

"Know what, Valens?"

His face darkened.

"Don't screw with me, Miller. If you know somethin'..." The curly haired detective chuckled, not at all fazed by his temper.

"You ever tried to get a secret out of Lil?"

Scotty blinked at the sudden question.

"Uh...yeah. Didn't get very far?"

"So she's good at keeping secrets then?" Scotty nodded, smiling slightly.

"Yeah. Yeah, she is."

Miller grinned smugly.

"Good. So am I."

* * *

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, Lilly sighed, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees. It wasn't that she didn't feel excited about having a baby. Well, it was, but not for the reasons Scotty would believe. That was the problem, Lilly realised. Her desire to keep her pregnancy a secret from him didn't stem from not wanting a child...

...it came from not wanting a child to grow up like she had.

"How long are you plannin' to sit out here?"

Lilly jumped, her head jerking around so fast the muscles in her neck protested. Di rubbed her hands together, her breath rising up in a plume.

"Didn't mean to make you jump," the older woman said lightly, sitting down beside the detective. The blonde stifled a sigh.

"I'm on my lunch break. I just sort of...managed to end up here."

They sat in silence for awhile. Eventually, Di cleared her throat.

"I've found that talking is normally quite a good thing to do," she said quietly. The look she received from Lilly could have frozen Hell.

"There was a reason I didn't come inside," Lilly replied icily.

Di shrugged, not at all offended by the younger woman's attitude.

"Must have been some reason why you turned up here, too."

Lilly didn't reply.

"Pregnancy does that to you sometimes. Kinda screws up your processing system," the restaurant owner pointed out matter-of-factly. The blonde detective released a growl of frustration.

"My boss called you, didn't he?" Di chuckled.

"About ten minutes before you arrived on this park bench."

Lilly shook her head. Di watched the mixture of emotions flash across the younger woman's face.

"What does Scotty think?" she asked carefully.

The detective blushed, looking away. Di's jaw dropped in astonishment.

"You haven't told him!"

"It was always the wrong time!" Lilly protested.

Di chuckled.

"Honey, there's never a **right** time to tell a guy he's about to become a father."

"Look, I didn't plan this, OK?" Lilly exploded suddenly, "And why is everybody so concerned with how Scotty's taking it? What about me? It's not as if I have to suffer or anything!"

"But you never noticed that you skipped a period?" Di asked incredulously. Lilly's blush deepened, and she couldn't help but smile sheepishly.

"I got…caught up. At work. It just…"

The older woman shook her head in disbelief.

"Honey, you gotta get out more."

* * *

I remember Joey told me (during one of her lucid moments a couple of hours ago) to tell _you _that Lilly-angst is surprisingly hard to write. That mean something to you? Hmm. So how many of ya'll were waiting for Scotty to find out? Me too, actually. But what do I know? I don't write the damn thing. Only post it. This is where I'm meant to ask nicely for a review, right?


	18. Special Kind Of Stupid

A/N I did say ASAP! And I even made this chapter EXTRA long. I hope you like it. It was actually a b***h to write, because there was a whole load of angsty stuff goin' on. Anyhoo. Thanks for all the reviews I've been getting! You guys are great! OH! I've just read what Parker wrote as a disclaimer on Chapter 16, and OMG! He doesn't even watch Cold Case! Grr. As long as Kathryn Morris keeps her hands to herself, that's fine.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except a partially naked Scotty in my dreams. Yeah, eat that, Parker.

* * *

Vera glanced out of the break room window. Detectives Rush and Valens were sniping at each other. It was almost like before, when Christina was on the scene. _At least I'm certain he ain't screwin' her sister this time._

"Reckon they'll ever stop fightin'?" he sighed mournfully.

Stillman chuckled, shrugging.

"It's the way they work. They'll fight, snap, insult each other, piss each other off. They'll be sometimes when Lilly's too stubborn, or Scotty's too protective. Hell, they'll be times when they don't even like each other. But all we can do is watch as it makes their partnership stronger," he finished, walking back into his office.

Miller gazed longingly at the couple.

"Ain't no doubt they love each other."

"But you don't want that, do you?" Vera asked cautiously. Miller turned to glare at him.

"Don't want what? The arguin', or the part where they have everything they've ever wanted?"

Vera shrugged.

"Jus' don't understand why you'd want somethin' that would only cause trouble."

"Back off, Vera," Miller growled. He held his hands up defensively.

"I'm jus' sayin' that after…"

"Which part of 'Back off' did you not understand?" she snapped.

"Hey, I'm…" Miller held up her hand, stopping the stream of words that were about to pour from Vera's mouth. Her eyes clouded in a mixture of sadness and disappointment.

"You know what? Save it for someone who cares," she said softly, walking away.

The burly detective watched her storm away, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"What? Miller? Kat, what did I say?"

* * *

The street vender thanked them, pocketing the notes. Miller handed a cup of coffee to Scotty. He grunted his thanks, watching Lilly standing beside Jeffries.

"She still giving you the Ice Queen treatment?"

He took a sip of coffee, giving a slight shake of his head.

"Nah. I could handle the Ice Queen. Hell, I could handle her bein' Queen Permafrost. This? I have no fuckin' idea what this is," Scotty said in a low voice.

Vera appeared beside them.

"Watch out, there's shark bait about," he muttered, gesturing over his shoulder. ADA Kite approached, taking extra care to brush past Lilly. His hand slid along the curve of her hip. She gritted her teeth, glancing anxiously towards Scotty.

From the clenching of his jaw, she could tell that the lawyer's action had not gone unnoticed.

"Good morning, detectives," he said cheerfully. Scotty glared at him.

"What do you want, Kite?"

Kite looked offended.

"Do I have to have a reason to talk to my ex-girlfriend?" he replied. Lilly narrowed her eyes menacingly.

"Kite..." she warned.

He smirked.

"I can't stay long. I just wanted to let you know that the DA decided **not **to sign the search warrant for St Thomas'. Not enough evidence to get you inside the church."

Scotty scowled.

"What, you want us to put your case together for you, or somethin'?" he snapped acerbically. Kite rolled his eyes, infuriating smirk fixed in place.

"Just letting you know, Valens."

The male detective took a step forward.

"So you can laugh at us? Talkin' o' laughin', I've been hearing some things about you from one of the lab techs. Now what was her name? Kristy? Kirsten?" he said thoughtfully.

Panic flitted across the ADA's face, quickly being replaced by hatred.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Valens!" Scotty grinned.

"You wanna bet on that, Kite?"

Kite jabbed a finger at Scotty.

"You're a player and a second rate detective!" he spat. Scotty launched himself forward, his fists raised. Vera and Jeffries pulled him back.

Up until now, Lilly had chosen to remain silent, thinking that her contribution to this exchange would only prove inflammatory. But now, when things were quickly getting out of hand between the two rivals, she decided to intervene.

Positioning herself between the warring men, Lilly placed her hands on Scotty's chest. He forced himself to meet her eyes, revelling in the first touch of her hands on him for days.

Lilly's hands calmed him down, her fingers gently resting on his shirt.

"Don't do it. He's not worth it, Scotty," she said quietly. Her partner studied her for a minute, before sighing and taking a step back.

Kite glared at them.

"She's got you wrapped around her finger, hasn't she, Valens? The sex must be pretty damn good for you to have stuck around with an emotionally damaged ice queen."

The blow didn't come from Lilly or Scotty, although they both moved to knock the lawyer to the ground. As Kite lay sprawled on the floor, Vera blew on his fist, flexing his knuckles. He scowled down at the lawyer.

"Get outta here," he said menacingly.

Kite wiped a trail of blood from his mouth, and struggled to get to his feet.

"You'll pay for that," he said angrily. Miller narrowed her eyes.

"Was that a threat?" she replied quietly.

Scowling at the Cold Case detectives, Kite stalked away, his coat tails flapping behind him. Lilly watched him go. Sensing the angst emanating from his partner, Scotty reached for her hand. His partner shook her head, turning away.

Scotty cursed as she began to walk away, pulling the collar of her coat up around her chin. Vera patted the young male detective on the back.

"I wanna ask her somethin'," he explained, hurrying after his colleague.

Scotty watched them go, his heart heavy. _Fuck you, Lil. I'll find out what's goin' on eventually. Even if it takes losing you to make it clear._Vera leant against the wall beside her. Lilly opened an eye to stare at him. He sighed heavily.

* * *

"When are you gonna wake up an' smell the bacon?" he said. Lilly opened both eyes incredulously.

"Excuse me?"

Vera shrugged.

"Stop thinkin' he's gonna leave you, Rush. Valens ain't goin' nowhere." She chuckled darkly.

"I am **not **getting relationship advice from you," she muttered disbelievingly. Vera continued.

"I'm guessin' that whatever has you headin' for the hills...it's got something to do with whatever Miller knows that the rest of us don't?"

Lilly heard her breath catch.

"Miller said anything to you?" she asked guardedly. The burly detective chuckled.

"Nah, Lil. Your secret's still secret."

At her sigh of relief, Vera shook his head.

"You gotta stop thinkin' you ain't worth it, Lil. Stop runnin' from whatever the hell it is that you're runnin' from."

"I'm not run…" Lilly began defensively.

He laughed quietly.

"We ain't stupid. These last couple of months, it's like we got the ol' Lilly back. The one we had before Joseph, before George Marks, before any of that bad shit happened. An' no offence or nothin', but most of that is down to Valens." He paused. "Jus' don't tell him I said that."

The blonde detective was silent for a while, trying to get her head around this new and sensitive side of Nick Vera.

"Why isn't Miller talking to you?" she asked suddenly.

Vera blinked in confusion.

"How'd you know about that?" She raised her eyebrows, as if to say 'I'm a detective too'. Her colleague sighed.

"It's nothin'. I said somethin' about not wantin' love like you an' Valens have it. She got kinda upset."

Lilly stared at him incredulously.

"You think? Jesus, Nick, I'm supposed to be the emotionally stunted one!"

The sturdy detective held his hands up defensively.

"I didn't mean anythin' by it. I was jus' pointing out that you an' Valens didn't exactly have a smooth ride." Lilly rolled her eyes.

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe Miller might just have someone special?"

Vera scoffed.

"Nah. She woulda told me." The blonde detective arched a delicate eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

"You know somethin' I don't?"

"Nope," Lilly said.

Her colleague studied her critically.

"She told you, didn't she?" he exclaimed. Lilly frowned slightly.

"Told me what?"

Vera shook his head.

"You ain't gettin' me that easily, Rush. If Miller told you, then that's her choice."

"Told me what?" Lilly repeated in genuine confusion.

Noting the real bewilderment on her face, Vera hid a smile.

"Nothin'."

* * *

"I'm goin' to bed," Scotty said, standing up from the kitchen counter. His plate landed in the sink with a loud clatter, and Lilly winced.

"Aren't we going to talk?" she asked in a small voice. He tossed her a dark look.

"Thought talkin' was against your rules?"

She got to her feet and took a few steps towards him.

"Please, Scotty..."

"No, Lil! I've had enough of bein' taken for an idiot. You wanna play this game, find someone else," he snapped viciously.

Lilly felt her heart stop, and her hands trembled.

"Are you breaking up with me?" she whispered. Scotty chanced a glance in her direction, and wished he hadn't. The look of terror on her face made him realise that life without Lilly was really no life at all.

He sighed in defeat.

"No," he said softly. Her sigh of relief wasn't lost on him, but he turned away. "But I am goin' to bed."

"Wait..."

"Please, Lil. I don't wanna fight wit' you."

Lilly caught his wrist, pulling him back to face her.

"I know you're mad, and I don't blame you, but just hear me out, OK?" she begged. Scotty looked up at the ceiling, his arms hanging limply by his sides.

Taking his silence as compliance, his partner slid her hands up to his neck, resting her forehead against his chin. Scotty felt her take a deep breath.

"You were right. There's something going on. But...I can't tell you right now," Lilly said quietly.

Scotty swore inwardly. _Dammit, Lil. _Nothing was worth losing Lilly, he decided. His arms encircled her waist, fitting her body snugly against his.

"Well is it somethin' I've done? Is it my fault?" he asked in concern. Lilly shook her head.

"No." She frowned slightly. "Yes."

At Scotty's expression, the blonde detective shook her head.

"Maybe 50% of it is your fault," she admitted with a tiny smile. Her partner nodded slowly.

"Right..."

Lilly reached for his hands, squeezing them gently.

"I just need some time. To work things out for myself."

Scotty freed one of his hands to brush a stray strand of hair from her face. His eyes, darkened by the events of the past few days, met Lilly's. After a moment, he nodded.

"OK," he said simply.

She raised her hand to his mouth, tracing over his lips.

"OK?" she questioned. Scotty gently kissed her fingertips.

"OK."

* * *

Lilly followed her partner into the bedroom. With dread rising up in her chest again, she grabbed Scotty's hand. He turned, and Lilly caught his lips in a fierce kiss.

When she finally released him, Scotty frowned slightly.

"Lil..." She rested her hands on his chest.

"I can't...tell you everything about me, Scotty. Not yet, anyway. My whole life has been a big mistake and I just..."

The words stumbled from her mouth, her voice choked and uncertain. Scotty watched her intently, and tried to guess where this conversation was headed. Lilly hesitated, before continuing tentatively.

"I need you, Scotty," she whispered, "more than I thought I did, and..."

She took a deep breath, raising her eyes to his.

"Don't leave me."

Scotty breathed out slowly, gently brushing his fingers over her cheek. As he opened his mouth to speak, a sharp trill broke the tension. Tearing away from him, Lilly moved to the bed, sitting down and folding her legs beneath the covers.

The male detective jogged across to answer the phone, grateful for the slight break in the intensity surrounding their conversation.

"Valens," he answered.

"Scotty?" a shy voice replied. The detective raised his eyebrows.

"Hey, Adam."

Lilly sat bolt upright in the bed, her face a picture of surprise.

"Can I talk to Lilly?" Adam asked.

"Sure. I'll pass you over." The blonde detective scrambled for the phone, and during her struggle to get up, she managed to end up in a pile on the floor.

Scotty smirked at his partner's undignified battle with the bedclothes. Lilly scowled up at him from her position at the foot of the bed. Scotty handed the receiver down to her, his grin teasing.

It was the first relatively relaxed exchange they'd had for some time, and it made warmth flood Lilly's heart.

"Adam?" she said, narrowing her eyes at her partner. Scotty shook his head, disappearing into the bathroom.

The young boy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hi, Lilly."

Lilly gave up in her fight with the sheets, and scooted back to lean against the bed.

"What's up?"

"Nothing. I just…Aunt Jo says I gotta start my new school today," Adam replied dejectedly.

Lilly smiled in understanding.

"And you're nervous?"

"Uh huh."

The detective cast a quick glance in her partner's direction.

"New things are always scary. I don't handle new situations very well, but I know I've always got people to show me what to do. To teach me," she explained quietly.

Adam was silent for a moment.

"Lilly, what are you afraid of?"

Her smile faded. Hearing the silence in the bedroom, Scotty moved to stand in the doorway. He frowned at the change in his partner, who suddenly appeared very small sitting on the floor.

"I'm scared of lots of things, Adam."

_Oh no, Lil..._The male detective shook his head, recognising the cornered look in his girlfriend's eyes, and knowing there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. Lilly sighed, taking a deep breath.

Seeing her inner battle, Scotty swore softly, feeling anger stir in his chest. _This ain't for me to hear. Not now. _He walked past his partner, heading for the kitchen, when a hand closed around his leg.

Scotty looked down in surprise, meeting a pair of bright blue eyes. The male detective found himself remembering Lilly's words from earlier.

"_I need you, Scotty, more than I thought I did..."_

He sat down beside her, pulling her into him.

"Lilly?"

"I'm here," she replied softly, hearing Adam's concerned voice. She leant further into Scotty's side.

"You alright?" he whispered into her ear.

Lilly nodded.

"Someone once said 'The real hero is the man who fights even though he is scared'. And he was right," she said, "because if we keep hiding from the things that scare us, the things we're afraid of...if we keep running, then how do we know when to stop?"

"But I won't have any friends!" Adam protested. Lilly laughed.

"Who needs them? Adam, people like me and you, we have to stay strong. OK?"

"OK, but..."

The young boy paused before continuing.

"What if everyone finds out what Dad did?" he whispered.

Lilly took a deep breath, thinking of what to say next. Her hand surreptitiously moved to her womb, resting over the tiny person growing inside her. For a moment, she imagined she could feel it moving, imagined the soft fluttering beneath her fingers.

"I'm not saying it's going to be easy," she began slowly, "and I don't really know if anything I say will make you feel better, but...just remember to talk about it."

"Talk about it?" the boy questioned. Scotty pressed a gentle kiss to the side of Lilly's head, listening in silence.

"Yeah, talk about it. Talk to your aunt, your uncle, me, Scotty. But promise me you won't keep it bottle up inside?"

In the background, the detectives heard a voice announce bedtime.

"I have to go, Lilly. But I promise to talk about it. Bye!"

Adam had hung up before she could reply. Putting the phone down, Lilly gently rubbed her lower womb, leaning into Scotty's embrace. She sighed wearily.

"Bye."

* * *

They sat on the floor for a long time after Adam disconnected the phone call. Scotty slowly stroked her hair, resting his chin on the top of her head.

Lilly stretched, moving from her partner's hold and standing up. She offered a hand, pulling Scotty to his feet and leading him to her side of the bed. He kissed her forehead, waiting as his girlfriend curled up under the covers. Tripod and Olivia jumped up beside her, purring contentedly.

"Go to sleep," he said quietly.

She frowned.

"You're not tired?" she asked in confusion. Scotty walked towards the bedroom door, slipping his t-shirt over his head and tossing it on the floor.

"Not right now. I gotta clean up in the kitchen."

Lilly raised her head to look at him, a tiny smile appearing from her lips. Olivia ducked under her arm, curling

"Please? The kitchen can wait."

Scotty lingered in the doorway, his eyes flicking towards the floor. Lilly's face fell, and she turned onto her side, bringing her knees up to her chest. Scotty watched a heavy sigh shake her slim frame.

Lilly felt the bed dip. Her breath caught in her throat, waiting. Scotty stretched out along the length of her back. Tentatively, he looped an arm over her waist. Feeling Lilly relax against him, Scotty pulled her back against his chest. He heard the steady thump of her heart.

"I can't promise you that I'll change," Lilly whispered, her voice barely audible, "I can't promise you that I won't push you away. I can't promise…I can't promise that I won't hurt you. All I can promise is that I'll try."

It was then that he realised how lucky he was. She had given him her heart, in all its torn and tattered beauty, and Scotty knew he had a responsibility to guard that gift with his life. He turned her towards him, and holding her gaze for a moment, brought her lips to his.

Breaking away, Scotty wrapped his arms around Lilly's slim body, fitting himself around her soft curves. His hands came to rest on hers, unknowingly covering the spot that would soon grow larger.

"'Night, Lil," he murmured. She felt her eyelids drooping.

"'Night, Scotty."

* * *

So I think they were slightly OOC, right? Oh yeah, and I'm really sorry Scotty still doesn't know about the baby. I'm doing my best to rectify that situation! Remember, reviews make the bones heal better. Well, they don't, but they do make me happy!


	19. Spin

A/N OK. Thanks for all the reviews I got for the last chapter- I'm sorry if I didn't get a chance to reply to each of them individually. Second thing I made a mental note to say is in reference to this chapter. Now, I know later on Scotty might seem a bit repetitive and contradictory, but I've seen a lot of expectant fathers flip out, so...I leave the judgement up to you.

Disclaimer: The only thing I own in relation to Cold Case is...oh. Well, nothing, really.

* * *

Three days passed quickly, and somehow, Lilly had managed to keep Scotty in the dark. From the corner of her eye, Kat Miller watched the young male detective shoot occasional glances over his desk at his partner.

Whatever understanding they'd reached a couple of nights ago, Scotty's patience was wearing thin. And to make it worse, he knew _**Lilly** _knew he couldn't stand it for much longer.

Observing him from her desk, Miller chuckled to herself. _Oh boy, Lil. You are playing one dangerous game. That boy's about to snap. I hope to good you've got a damn good story ready._

Scotty looked up as Lilly walked back into the bullpen.

"Hey, Lil," he said cautiously, standing up. She granted him a quick smile.

"What's up?"

"Well, I was just lookin' over these files, an' I noticed somethin'."

He moved to stand opposite her, offering the case file. Lilly raised a curious eyebrow.

"Oh yeah?"

"Check out the priest's statement."

The blonde detective scanned the page.

"The time's are out," she stated after a moment. Scotty grinned triumphantly.

"Exactly. He said he spoke to Marsden before the murder, 'round 10pm."

"But the autopsy puts time of death at 9:30," Lilly continued.

Scotty nodded.

"Yeah. So he's gotta be lyin'. I double checked wit' the ME, and there's no way Kate Marsden was killed any later than 9:30. I'm thinkin'..."

Lilly blinked. Her partner was saying something, and she tried to focus on his voice, but the words just melted together. She felt nausea rise up in her stomach, churning her insides around like fruit in a blender.

The female detective was faced with two options: throw up in front of the entire office, not to mention all over Scotty's shirt, or make it to the bathroom and face the inevitable possibility that he would follow her and ask what was wrong.

_I guess he had to find out sometime, _Lilly thought, turning sharply and just making it to the bathroom in time.

She leant over the toilet, emptying the contents of her stomach into the basin. _What's the chance that Scotty didn't notice, or decided not to follow me?_

"Jesus Christ," Scotty murmured, crouching down beside her, "You alright, Lil?"

_Absolutely zero, _she finished silently. She nodded, wiping her mouth. He swept back her hair, running his fingers through it.

"I'm fine," she mumbled, sinking back against him.

He kissed her forehead, remembering the last time Lilly had been sick.

_Scotty chewed on a mouthful of pizza._

"_How you feelin'?" he asked, eyeing his partner warily. Lilly rolled her eyes._

"_I'm fine. It was just an overnight bug," she insisted. Scotty narrowed his eyes suspiciously._

"_You ain't pregnant, are you, Rush?" Lilly found herself blushing, and wasn't sure why._

"_No, Scotty, I'm not pregnant," she muttered._

"_Good." Lilly looked up with raised eyebrows._

"_Good?" she asked in amusement. Scotty paled in mortification._

"_I mean, it's not good that you're not pregnant, but, uh, I mean, uh…" Scotty said falteringly, his voice failing. Lilly laughed._

"_You want some help getting out of that hole, Scotty?" He laughed sheepishly._

"_Sorry, Lil."_

"_Don't worry. I knew what you meant." Her partner frowned._

"_But you'd tell me, right?"_

"You ain't pregnant are you, Rush?" Scotty asked teasingly, echoing their previous conversation. She looked away, her eyes wide. He froze.

He stood up, staring down at her. Lilly swallowed, the wave of nausea disappearing as quickly as it had come. Scotty frowned.

"You're...you're...But I thought we…"

"Yeah, me too, Scotty," she whispered in reply.

Scotty scratched the top of his head, the colour sliding from his cheeks. _Lil's...I'm...we're..._

"You're pregnant?" Lilly sighed, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Scotty, look. I'm not asking you to stay arou..."

"What the hell, Lil?" he snapped angrily, "What's that supposed to mean? You tellin' me you think I'm the kinda guy that would do that?"

"I just..."

Her voice trailed off at the look in his eyes. Scotty shook his head, taking a few steps towards the door.

"What?" Lilly said incredulously, "You're actually leaving?" He shot her a look.

"Well I can't deal wit' this right now!"

He backed out of the bathroom, leaving his partner sitting on the cubicle floor. The door shut with a soft click. Lilly felt tears slide slowly down her cheeks.

"Damn hormones," she muttered, placing a tentative hand over her lower abdomen.

Wiping her eyes, the detective stood up, heading back into the bullpen. Looking around, she sighed. _Come on, Rush. You said yourself that you didn't expect him to stick around._

Seeing her colleague's return, Miller glanced up, immediately noticing the red marks around Lilly's eyes.

"Boss was looking for you. Wanted to remind you of your 4pm engagement," she said, brushing over the details.

Lilly smiled gratefully, ignoring Miller's questioning glance. _Looks like Scotty escaped without being seen._

Overhearing Miller's comment, Vera smirked. He sat back in his chair.

"Dr Klein, huh? What, Valens ain't enough for ya, Lil?" Miller glared at him. Lilly took a deep breath, lowering her eyes to the ground.

"Actually, Scotty is more than enough for me, and Dr Klein is my obstetrician," she said quietly. Vera shrugged.

Jeffries choked on his coffee, looking up at Lilly in astonishment. As her words caught up with Vera, he paled.

"Obstetrician? That's…that's…" Miller rolled her eyes.

"Thank God you never have to reproduce." Jeffries stood up, placing a hand on Lilly's shoulder.

"Congratulations, Lil," he said. She smiled sadly.

"Yeah," she replied softly.

Vera stood up, wrapping a gentle arm around her shoulders.

"Nice job, Lil." Miller saw the tears forming in her colleague's eyes.

Touching the blonde detective on the arm, she frowned.

"What's up?" Lilly wiped her eyes.

"Nothing. Just hormones," she lied.

"Where's Scotty?" Vera asked.

Jeffries watched Lilly carefully, seeing her slight wince as Scotty's name was mentioned. She swallowed.

"I'm not sure. He said he had something to do."

"You sure you're feeling alright, Lil?" Miller asked concernedly. Lilly pasted a smile on her face.

"Yeah."

Vera leant forward excitedly.

"So, come on, Rush. How'd Valens take it?" The blonde felt her hands tremble.

"Oh, uh...he was...surprised," she replied in a shaky voice.

Miller felt her breath catch, her mind whirling. She knew Lilly had told Stillman, and Miller herself knew, but as far as she was concerned, the pregnant detective had yet to tell Scotty. _But Vera and Jeffries don't know that Scotty doesn't know...but if Lil's sayin' that Scotty __**does**__ know..._

_Oh my God, _Kat realised._ When they disappeared into the bathroom...she told him! _Unfortunately for Lilly, she picked that moment to glance at Miller. Some sort of silent conversation took place, until the curly haired detective sat back in her seat, stunned.

Catching the exchange, and knowing Lilly's tendency for making her life more complicated than it needed to be, Jeffries stared at her curiously. _Wait...I know that look. __Shit. Valens, you didn't…guess that would explain why he's made himself disappear._

Looking up at Jeffries, Lilly felt her heart sink at the realisation dawning in his eyes. He frowned slightly, and seeing the pain in her eyes, he knew his suspicions were about right.

The big detective clenched his fist.

"I'm getting coffee," he said in a low voice, skilfully masking his anger from Vera and Kat. _You better have a damn good excuse ready, Valens._

* * *

Jeffries found Scotty on the roof.

"You're a fool, Valens."

The younger detective shook his head, completely unsurprised that it was Jeffries who had pieced everything together.

"Back off, Will," he muttered.

"No."

"Screw you, Jeffries!" Scotty exploded angrily.

Jeffries grabbed the younger man by the front of his shirt, holding him against the railings. Scotty swallowed, noting the hard-edged anger in his colleague's eyes.

"You better shut up and listen to what I have to say, Valens, because I'm not gonna stand here and let her get hurt again."

Scotty nodded, and as his shirt was released, took a deep breath. Jeffries moved to stand against the railing, listening to the cars go past beneath them.

"You turned your back on her. For all your faults, Valens, that's something I never thought you'd do," he said quietly.

Scotty was silent for a moment.

"I ain't ready for a baby."

Jeffries chuckled.

"An' you think Lil is? Scotty, she's more scared of this baby than she was of George Marks." _And we both know how scared she was then,_ he added silently. The younger detective sighed.

"I ain't ready to be a father. Don't know how."

Jeffries rolled his eyes.

"Valens, you got a gorgeous woman in there, waitin' for you to tell her it's gonna be OK. You're going to be a father, Scotty. Start actin' like one."

Scotty punched the railing, the metallic clang reverberating through the air around them. Jeffries chuckled.

"Feel better now?" he asked, amusement tingeing the edges of his voice. The younger detective shook his head.

"Not really," Scotty replied miserably.

"Look, Valens, you got two options. You can either go down and talk to your girlfriend...or you can stay up here and mope. Like you did when Elissa died."

Scotty spun around, his eyes widening in pain and shock. No-one ever spoke about Elissa, unless it was one of the very rare occasions he brought her up in conversation. Jeffries continued, knowing this was the only way to get through to his colleague.

"I was there, Valens. I came to your place, and I saw you moping around at home. But I left you. I didn't make you get outta that hole, but maybe I should have."

"That what you did?" Scotty snapped, "When your wife died, did you just pretend that nothin' was wrong? That you weren't dyin' inside?"

"That's exactly what I did. And it didn't help."

The younger man swore softly.

"This ain't about Elissa, so what's your point?"

"My point is that there was a time not too long ago when you thought you'd lost everything. Now you've got a woman who would do anything to make you happy, and a baby I know will be the most loved thing this side of the Equator."

Scotty ran a hand through his hair.

"Lil lied to me," he mumbled, his anger dissipating faster than expected. Jeffries chuckled.

"Trust me. She's already beating herself up for that."

"Yeah?"

"Look, Scotty, I've said my piece. Far as I'm concerned we don't have any more problems."

Scotty looked up, a brief smile flitting across his face.

"Unless I hurt Lil."

"You won't," the big detective said confidently, turning his back and taking a few steps towards the door.

Will had one foot over the threshold before Scotty spoke.

"How do you know?"

His colleague turned back, one hand lingering on the stair rail.

"How do I know what?"

"How do you know that I won't hurt Lil?"

"Because you love her," Jeffries replied, his voice fading as he continued down the stairs, "and love isn't something you can avoid."

* * *

Something in Jeffries' words had planted a seed in Scotty's heart. He rubbed a hand over his face, resting his elbows on the railing. _Lilly's pregnant. Lilly's pregnant with my child. I'm gonna be a father._

The male detective thoughts turned to his partner.

_Lil's dad left. Could I seriously do that?_

He remembered all the times his own father had supported him. Turning up to every baseball game, every school ceremony. When Elissa had...when her giants had returned the first time, it was his dad that had been his rock. _An' he won't ever know how grateful I am for that._

Scotty pounded his fist onto the railing, clenching his jaw.

_This is my baby. __**My**__ baby. What kinda man does that make me, huh? Walkin' out on the woman I love an' the...the tiny person who needs me. _

Fragments of a conversation he'd once had with Lilly began to replay in his mind.

"_...and don't forget the free cornflakes at school, if you get there on time, and maybe some kid will share his lunch with you, but don't count on it."_

"_So your Moms went through some bad times..."_

"_Scotty, there was never a good time."_

Pure rage at what Ellen Rush had put her girls through made Scotty's throat burn. _But that ain't Lil. She could…she could be the best mother in the world. But I ain't ready to be a father. But then I ain't leavin' Lil. I fought too hard to get her in the firs' place._

Scotty swore softly, running a hand through his hair.

_So that leaves me wit' a baby. I'm gonna be a dad. What if…what if I ain't good enough? This baby deserves the fuckin' best._

He straightened, looking out over the city and rubbing his aching hand.

"Be the best?" he said under his breath, "Easier said than done."

* * *

From her desk in the Homicide department, Lilly watched Jeffries return. _Empty handed, _she thought, _with no coffee..._ She turned her attention back to the piece of paper on her desk.

She chewed thoughtfully on her pen. _**To Valens, **_she wrote. _That's too…that's just not right, _she thought, scribbling the words out. _**Dear Scotty. **_With a sigh of frustration, Lilly screwed up the paper, throwing it into the bin.

"This is useless," she muttered.

Rubbing her eyes, Lilly reached for another piece of paper. Trying to think of an opening line, Lilly found herself remembering the day when their relationship was definitely something more than friends.

"_If you need anythin', jus' say…hey," _he'd said.

Lilly felt a small smile tug at her lips, and she picked up the pen. _**Hey,**_ she wrote, _**Everyone seems to be…**_

* * *

Up on the roof, Scotty had set himself an ultimatum: get his act together, or kiss the happy-ever-after goodbye.

"Come on, Valens," he said in frustration, "so she lied to you. Big whoop. Ain't as if you've never lied to her."

He couldn't understand why this was so hard. Because Lilly had already made her choice. _Now all I gotta do is make mine._

Scotty took a deep breath. _OK. So can I see myself havin' kids with anyone 'cept Lil? No. Can I see myself havin' kids at all? No, but…I guess it depends on what Lil wants._

Scotty slapped a hand to his forehead. _Valens, you dumbass, you already know what she wants! You moron, Valens! There's a reason Lilly's not here fightin' with you. 'Cause she's with the person she loves most._

He felt wonder and realisation tug at the edges of his mind. _With her baby…with __**OUR**__ baby._

"Our baby," he repeated reverently, a grin slowly spreading from his lips. He stared out at the city for a moment, tapping his palm on the railing.

"An' that sounds pretty damn good to me," he said softly, spinning on his heel and bolting back into the bullpen.

_I gotta see Lil...I jus' hope Jeffries won't kill me this time._

_

* * *

_

So I figure Scotty needs his angst time too. But the next chapter is slightly less angst free, and then by the END of next chapter we're done with the angst...well, the angst for this particular topic...feel free to leave me a review! Reviews just make my day.


	20. Do It My Way

A/N So you know how I promised that this chapter would be pretty much angst free? Well, I sorta lied. But I hope you enjoy this chapter anyway! The questions Dr Klein asks are pretty accurate- I double checked. Apparently the questions vary from doctor to doctor...

Disclaimer: I don't know why, but I've got the sudden urge NOT to write one of these. You know, just to see what happens. Oh wait, the doctor's mine. That's about it.

* * *

When Scotty jogged back into the bullpen, the only sign of his partner was the white note leaning against his coffee cup. He felt a small smile tug at the corner of his mouth, and pushing down the excitement in his stomach, he opened the paper.

**Hey.** **Everyone seems to be fighting for 'us' more than we are, so I'm making an effort. Scotty, I already love this baby more than I ever thought I could love anything. If I have to, I'll choose my baby over you. Don't make me choose.**

Scotty fingered the note. _Don't make me choose, _he repeated in his head. Another piece of paper slid out of the envelope. The detective unfolded the smaller message, which was obviously an afterthought.

**If you're interested, I have an appointment at the hospital, 4pm. I love you. Lilly x**

Scotty folded the note up, sliding it into his pocket. He glanced at his watch. 3:42.

"Boss?" he called. Stillman appeared in the doorway of his office.

"What?"

The younger detective grinned.

"Can you cover me? I got somewhere I have to be." Stillman chuckled, shaking his head.

"What are you still doing here, Scotty? Go!"

Scotty stopped suddenly, turning back.

"Hey, boss?"

"What, Valens?"

"You know about...?"

Stillman's smile grew.

"It's my department, Scotty. Of course I know."

* * *

Lilly sat in the waiting room, absently tapping her feet on the floor. She hummed softly to herself, anxiously holding onto the edge of her seat. The other people in the waiting room were all lost in thought.

She chewed fretfully on her thumbnail.

"Lilly Rush?" The blonde detective jumped, looking up at the nurse. The woman in the white coat smiled reassuringly, beckoning the detective into the exam room. Lilly sat down in the chair.

Dr Klein appeared in the doorway, her eyes glued to the file in her hands.

"OK, Lilly," she began, looking up. Seeing only one person in the room, the doctor frowned, "On your own?"

The detective blushed.

"He's otherwise engaged," she mumbled. Klein raised a knowing eyebrow, and sensing the blonde woman didn't want to talk about it, continued with the appointment.

"Is this your first pregnancy?"

"Yes."

"And when was your last period?" Dr Klein asked, writing notes on her pad. Lilly's blush deepened, and she lowered her eyes to the ground.

"I can't remember."

"OK...are you using any kind of contraception?"

Lilly straightened, pleased at finally having a question she could answer.

"I've been on the Pill since I was fifteen. And usually we use a condom, but there was one time...well, more than one time...we didn't. I thought..."

Dr Klein grinned.

"Have you ever missed a pill?" she said. Lilly smiled in embarrassment.

"Probably more than just one," she admitted. The doctor nodded in understanding.

"I'm guessing this wasn't a planned pregnancy?"

Lilly shook her head.

"No. But just because it wasn't planned doesn't mean it isn't wanted, OK?"

"I never implied that it wasn't. So who are you trying to convince, Lilly?"

"No-one," the detective replied defensively.

"How are you feeling?"

Dr Klein watched a mixture of emotions play out across her patients face.

"About the pregnancy? Or health wise in general?" Lilly asked cautiously, only having the answer to one of those questions.

It seemed the doctor could sense her inner turmoil. _There's something else going on here. Maybe it has something to do with the missing father?_

"Health wise in general," she conceded. Lilly breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm always tired. My boobs hurt, and my bladder control is pretty much shot."

Dr Klein chuckled.

"Any morning sickness?"

"Morning sickness? Try 24-hour sickness."

"Ginger ale helps. OK, from what you've described, Lilly, I'd say you're between six and seven weeks pregnant..."

With the doctor's voice fading slightly, Lilly stood up, seeing a familiar figure run past the window. _Was that…? No way._

Oblivious, Dr Klein continued to speak, turning away from the detective to her computer screen. Her heart jumping wildly, Lilly rushed out of the room, leaving the doctor chatting to herself.

Running a hand through her chin length brown hair, Dr Klein turned back to face the now empty room.

"OK, then…Lilly?"

* * *

Scotty burst into the OB/GYN waiting area. He jogged up to the reception desk. The nurse looked up at him in concern.

"Can I help you, sir?"

Scotty nodded, taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart.

"I'm lookin' for my girlfriend," he said hurriedly. The nurse gave him a reassuring smile.

"OK. What's her name?"

"Scotty!"

Hearing the surprised exclamation from behind him, he turned. Lilly stared at him, her blue eyes wide. Scotty walked towards her. He held her at arm's length, noting that the burden of carrying such a secret was gone from her eyes.

He pulled her into a tight hug. Lilly breathed a sigh of relief, sliding her arms around his waist.

"I'm so sorry, Lil," he said quietly. She leant back to look up at him shyly.

"Me too. There was no reason for me t..."

Her lips were silenced as Scotty kissed her tenderly.

"Later," he said gently.

"I'm glad you're here," she whispered. Scotty reached for her hand.

"Always."

Lilly rested her forehead against his chin, smiling slightly.

"I'll hold you to that." Her partner sighed.

"I'm sorry, Lil. I shouldn't have freaked out on you. I should have been here."

"You're here now," she pointed out. Scotty nodded.

"An' I ain't goin' nowhere."

Lilly pulled back to study him carefully.

"You're not mad at me?" she questioned doubtfully. Scotty tightened his arms around her.

"Oh, I'm way past mad, an' me an' you are gonna have a talk about this later, but right now I just wanna kiss you."

Her eyes widened.

"Right..." she said slowly. Scotty's fingers found her chin, bringing their lips together. Lilly rested her hands on his chest. When he finally broke away, she blinked, her legs still trembling from his gentle assault.

Scotty frowned slightly.

"Come on," he said seriously, "the sooner we get this appointment over and done with, the sooner you can explain to me what exactly it was that made you think I'd be alright with walkin' away from my baby."

Lilly took a step back. _Damn. What the hell am I supposed to say? 'Sorry, Scotty, I just assumed children were the last thing you wanted. Can we kiss and make up?' I don't think so._

She nodded, knowing that there was no way she could escape the conversation that would follow later that afternoon.

"OK," she said softly. Scotty reached for her hand.

The blonde detective pulled him to a stop, scrutinizing every darkened inch of his face.

"On a scale of one to ten," she began," how bad have I screwed up?" Scotty stared back unashamedly.

"About 456," he replied.

Lilly swallowed hard, unwanted tears springing to her eyes.

"On a scale of one to ten...where are **we**?" she continued, her voice wavering.

"Right now?"

"Right now."

"I don't know, Lil," Scotty said softly. She nodded, and as hard as it was, managed to accept his words for what they were; a promise that spoke of hurt and confusion. _And that's pretty much on me. _Squeezing his hand lightly, Lilly led him back down the hall to the examination room. Dr Klein looked up.

"I thought you'd gone," she said in surprise.

Lilly gave her a small smile, tugging Scotty into the room. She looked up at him.

"Dr Klein, meet my boyfriend, and partner, Scotty Valens."

He raised a hand in greeting. Klein's mouth fell open, staring at the couple in awe. _Wow. They are going to have one good-looking baby. _She saw the way Scotty looked down at her, saw the love in his eyes, clouded by something she couldn't place.

"Have a seat," she offered, sensing the tension that seemed to crackle between the couple.

Scotty smiled, rubbing the back of his head.

"So, uh...what, uh...is there...?"

Dr Klein shrugged.

"I ask you some questions, you ask me some questions, and that's pretty much it," she explained. Lilly laughed softly at the expression on her partner's face, and hearing her chuckle, Scotty turned his head to look at her.

The male detective felt his heart soften at the love pouring from her eyes. He shook his head slightly, rolling his eyes.

"You better hope this baby gets your looks an' not your personality, Rush, or I'm sendin' it back."

* * *

The awkwardness that had been temporarily forgotten at the hospital returned the moment the front door was shut. Scotty disappeared into the kitchen, quickly followed by Olivia and Tripod.

After a moment, her reappeared, his tie loosened and sleeves rolled up.

"You hungry?" he asked, and Lilly caught the full force of his anger hiding behind his calm pretence. She winced, knowing that she'd come so close to losing him.

"No. I think I might take a shower."

Glancing up at her boyfriend, the female watched his eyes soften and concern dampen the rage tainting every movement.

"You gotta eat, Lil."

"But..."

"I'll even order take-out?" Scotty tempted, a tiny smile creeping onto his face.

Lilly was so elated that her partner was smiling, she didn't bother challenging him, and allowed a smile to match his to appear around from her lips.

"Great. Do I have time for a shower?"

The male detective moved towards her, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. Lilly stood in shock. _Isn't he supposed to hate me right now? _

"Uh huh. But Lil...I ain't forgotten. I'm just takin' a break from bein' mad."

She nodded.

"I know."

* * *

It seemed that in the time it took Lilly to shower and get comfy in her joggers and t-shirt, Scotty's anger had returned in full force.

"...an' I just don't understand, Lil! What the hell did you think would happen?" he yelled, flinging his arms out. Lilly winced, the action almost invisible, and turned away from him.

"Don't yell at me," she said quietly.

"But this is your M.O., isn't it? Somethin' sets you off, an' then...

"For God's sake, Scotty!" Lilly shouted, "I'm terrified!"

He ran a hand over his face, deflating in front of her. Lilly continued in a softer voice.

"I'm terrified, and I don't know how to deal with that."

All the fight had been sucked out of him, and Scotty could do nothing but stand in silence. After a while, he raised his head. Lilly stared back unashamedly, her blue eyes burning deep into his. _Well this is going well, _she thought sarcastically.

The doorbell rang, making them both jump.

"That's the food," Scotty muttered. Lilly shrugged.

"I'll be out in a minute," she returned, taking cover in the bedroom.

She heaved a heavy sigh, perching on the end of the bed.

"Great job, Rush. So much for your happy ending."

Lilly shook her head. _I have to fix this. Even if he's about to break up with me, I'd like it to be on relatively good terms. _She heard Scotty thank the delivery guy, and the soft thud of the front door alerted her to Scotty's whereabouts. _OK. Let's get this over and done with. And I hope Scotty got egg rolls._

Taking a deep breath, Lilly crept out to the sofa, smiling slightly as Olivia and Tripod curled up around her neck.

"Lil?" Scotty called in an even tone, "How hungry are you now?"

"Quite," she replied, watching him appear in the living room.

She was pleased to notice that the brief lull in their argument seemed to have calmed both of them to a point of normal volume. _So here goes nothing._

Scotty sat down beside her, placing two cartons of noodles on the coffee table.

"We need to talk. I mean, talk properly. Not...not fightin'. I can't fight wit' you anymore, Lil."

Lilly nodded, curling her legs up beneath her.

"I know," she replied shyly. Scotty edged closer, tentatively reaching for his partner's legs.

Blinking in surprise, Lilly unfolded them, resting them in his lap.

"Can I say something first?" she asked cautiously, fully aware that he probably didn't want to listen to anything she had to say.

Scotty nodded. The blonde detective released the breath she didn't realise she'd been holding.

"I screwed up. I screwed up big, Scotty, and I know that there is nothing I can do to make it up to you. You have to know I never..."

At the look on his face, her voice trailed off.

"You done?" Scotty asked quietly. Lilly nodded uncertainly, biting her bottom lip. Her partner sighed.

"I love you, Lilly. An' I'm pretty sure you know that. When you started freakin' out, I knew. Dammit, Lil, I **knew** that something wasn't right! I ain't sayin' that I'm OK with what you did, 'cause I'm not, but I think I get why you did it."

Lilly could have kissed him.

"You do?" Scotty nodded, swallowing.

"I think so," he said. She leant forward, kissing him fiercely. Her partner's hand found the back of her head, deepening the kiss.

The blonde detective ended up lying on the sofa, with Scotty partially lying on top of her.

"I'm sorry," Lilly repeated for the hundredth time. He smiled against her lips.

"Stop apologizin', Lil. We both screwed up, an' I know this ain't gonna just go away, but maybe for tonight we could...compromise?"

Lilly smiled the first real smile he's seen for days.

"I guess we're both allowed one big mistake, right?" Scotty chuckled.

"Hey, have I already used my 'big mistake' card?"

She arched an eyebrow, looking up at him.

"I'm pretty sure sleeping with my sister counts as a big mistake." Scotty nudged her lips with his.

"Point taken."

Lilly laughed, rolling over so that she was above. She propped herself up, her palms resting either side of Scotty's head.

"I don't blame you for freaking out," she said suddenly.

Scotty looked up at her curiously.

"No?" Her smile turned sheepish, fading slightly.

"I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't, too. But I've had longer to adjust."

"Oh. So…"

"I love you," Lilly interrupted, her voice serious.

"I love you, too. Both of you," he added. Her reappearing smile was the brightest he'd ever seen.

"Yeah?"

Scotty grinned, placing a kiss to her forehead.

"Yeah."

* * *

"Did you really have to ask Dr Klein about sex during pregnancy?"

Scotty grinned at the exasperation in his partner's voice. He lay down, turning his head towards the bathroom. The light went off, and the blonde detective appeared in the bedroom.

"No crime in bein' interested."

Lilly rolled her eyes, sliding into bed beside him and pulling the covers to her chin.

"That's not the only thing you're interested in," she replied.

"No way. But I just wanted to know if it would, you know..."

"Hurt the baby?"

"Exactly," Scotty said, "If it would hurt the baby."

Lilly rested her cheek on his chest, smiling slightly as he began to stroke her hair. She felt him sigh.

"Do you hate me for leavin' you to go to the hospital alone?" he asked suddenly. Lilly rolled onto her side so that she could give him a hard stare.

"No," she replied gently.

Scotty brushed his thumb over her bottom lip.

"You should," he whispered. Lilly leant forward, and as their lips met, she brought her hand up to his cheek. The male detective blinked at the unbelievable softness of her skin.

When they eventually broke apart, Scotty turned her onto her back, taking in every inch of his partner's face. Satisfied that he was no longer drowning in self-hatred, Lilly closed her eyes, wriggling into a comfortable position.

Scotty kissed her head, resting his hands on her waist. They lay in silence for a while.

"Crap," Lilly said suddenly, running into the bathroom. She made it just in time, and after a moment, she sank back against the bathtub.

Her partner sat down besides her, having followed her immediately. He swept her hair back, and offered her a glass of water. Lilly took a sip, closing her eyes. Feeling another wave of nausea wash over her, the blonde detective groaned, leaning over the toilet.

Scotty chuckled.

"Is this all I've missed?" His teasing comment earned him a sharp jab to the stomach, which did nothing but make him laugh harder. After a moment, Lilly glared up at him.

"You're not helping."

* * *

Well, there was some fluff. And I swear there's more on the way. Maybe you should, you know, leave me a review or something. Nudge me along, perhaps. And you guys know that any suggestions are welcome! As long as they are left in a review.


	21. If I Can't Have You

A/N I AM SO SO SORRY, YOU GUYS! No, seriously, I am. I had to make sure I got this chapter **just right**, and I'm not sure I've even managed it now! So we have fluff, more fluff, some detective-ness, more fluff, and then a twist that you're all gonna hate me for! Read on, dear readers, read on!

Disclaimer: When you've read this chapter, you'll totally get why I don't own anything to do with Cold Case. Damn characters are too unpredictable!

* * *

Lilly slid back into bed next to Scotty. He turned onto his side, rolling over to face her. She kissed him softly, stroking the side of his face.

"You're cold," he murmured. Lilly giggled, biting her bottom lip.

"Uh huh."

Scotty grinned, throwing an arm over her waist. He pulled his partner flush against him, so that every part of their bodies were touching. Lilly buried her head in his neck, her nose cold against his skin. Scotty kissed the top of his girlfriend's head.

"Mornin', Lil," he said softly. The blonde detective smiled, relaxing into the shape of his body.

"Morning, Scotty," she mumbled, placing a kiss to his chest.

If someone had told Scotty that five years after transferring from West, he'd have ended up in bed snuggling with the Ice Queen herself, he would have handed out directions to the nearest asylum...

...yet here he was, grinning as Lilly snuggled further into his side.

"We should talk, you know," she said casually. Scotty blinked in surprise.

"Talk? About..."

"Well, yeah. That's what you want, isn't it?"

He caught the waver in her voice. The male detective thought for a while, absently stroking patterns on her back.

"When I was growin' up," he began slowly, "I watched all o' my cousins, an' aunts, an' family friends, get married an' have children."

Lilly shifted in his arms. Scotty continued in a soft voice.

"Elissa had her life planned when she was thirteen years old. An' I always figured I'd be part o' that. But Jeffries pointed somethin' out to me yesterday, you know."

"Yeah?"

Scotty gave her a slight squeeze.

"Yeah. He reminded me that it wasn't that long ago I thought I'd lost everythin'. He reminded me that now I got a chance again."

"A chance to what?" Lilly asked uncertainly.

"A chance to make a person wit' the woman I love more than anythin'."

The blonde detective settled into him, feeling his hands holding her safely against him. She lay in silence, trying to put the feelings in her heart into intelligible sentences. She felt Scotty chuckle, and the movement of his chest stirred her from her thoughts.

"You don't have to say anythin', Lil."

"But I do!" Lilly replied in frustration, "I _need_to say something. I want to tell you..._why _I did what I did, but...Believe me, Scotty, I want to tell you, I really do, it's just..."

Whatever had given her the courage to start this conversation deserted her. She trailed off, before taking a deep breath.

"This wasn't supposed to happen to me," she said quietly. "This was Christina's life. The house, the good job...the kids. It's not supposed to be me."

Scotty arched an eyebrow.

"Seriously? That's what you think?"

Lilly rolled away from him, heading for the security of caffeine and sugar.

"No, Scotty, that's what my mother thought."

* * *

He'd barely had time to comprehend what Lilly had revealed when Scotty heard her calling his name.

"Scotty!"

"What?"

"Get in here!" Lilly shouted, a note of desperation entering her voice.

"Why?"

"Scotty!"

He walked into the kitchen, and blinked in surprise. Lilly was cowering against the counter, staring anxiously at the floor.

"What's up, Lil?" he asked, beginning to worry at the look on her face. She blushed, pointing to the floor.

"That."

Scotty moved to stand beside her, following her gaze. A grin spreading from his lips, the male detective glanced at his partner, trying not to laugh.

"It's a spider."

Lilly narrowed her eyes.

"Scotty! Just get it out!" she said, her voice high.

Chuckling, he grabbed a mug and a police file from the counter. Scotty scooped up the spider, carrying it towards the open window. As he passed her, Lilly failed to suppress a soft squeal. When Scotty returned, he was wearing a grin the size of Texas.

Lilly glared at him, placing her hand over his mouth.

"Not a word."

* * *

Pulling into a space in the PPD parking lot, Scotty smiled to himself. _Lilly Rush, the woman who can crack the hardest doer in Philly, is scared of a spider?_

He chuckled, glancing at his partner from the corner of his eye. _I ain't ever gonna get bored of this woman._

Lilly's voice stirred him out of his thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked. He reached across to place a hand on her knee.

"I didn't know you were scared of spiders."

She shrugged, undoing her seatbelt.

"Childhood trauma. My mother got drunk, and locked me in a cupboard. Spiders everywhere." Scotty's face fell, and he gently squeezed her leg.

"I didn't know."

Lilly smiled, opening the car door.

"It's fine," she replied, quickly leaning over to kiss his cheek. They got out of the car, the cold wind almost knocking the breath out of them.

Scotty reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze.

"You feelin' alright?" he asked suddenly. His partner laughed.

"I'm fine. You don't have to keep asking me, you know." He grinned.

"I know. Jus' checkin'."

The blonde detective rolled her eyes playfully, tugging him in the direction of the police precinct. She'd only taken a few steps when Scotty pulled her to a stop.

"Hey, Lil," he said, his voice losing its frivolity.

Catching the serious note in his tone, Lilly felt her grin fade, and turned to face him.

"What's up?" she asked concernedly. Scotty watched her for a few minutes, a lopsided grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

After a moment, he pulled her towards him, catching her just before Lilly crashed into him. His grin returned in full beam.

"Boy or girl?"

* * *

Lilly sank down against the sofa, sighing in relief.

"It's only just 11am and I already feel like I should go home," she said in disbelief. Miller laughed.

"Can we get that in writing?"

The blonde grinned.

"I guess I have to look on the bright side. Scotty's bending over backwards to do my paperwork so I don't get overtired."

Her partner threw a paper ball at her, causing Jeffries to chuckle, his eyes crinkling up at the corners.

"Shut up, Rush. Who says I'm doin' it to help you anyway? **My **life's a whole lot easier when you're in a good mood."

Sauntering into the break room, Vera slapped a magazine down on the break room table. The others stared at it in confusion.

"Oh, sweet Lord," Miller muttered. Jeffries squinted at the page.

"Uh...'What Sex Says About You'," he read slowly.

Lilly and Scotty exchanged wary glances. Vera cleared his throat, and began to read.

"Number 1," he said loudly, "what type of sex do you prefer?"

Luckily, before anyone could form anything resembling a reply, Stillman appeared from his office. Noting the stunned silence and Vera's crafty smile, he glanced down. The vivid colours of the magazine article screamed out of the page.

Jeffries opened his mouth to explain, but Stillman shook his head, an amused smirk hovering around his lips.

"I think I'm too old to hear why this is on the table."

"You're never too old for..." Scotty began cheerfully, before Lilly clamped a hand over his mouth.

"You got something for us, boss?" she asked, feeling her cheeks turn pink at what her partner was about to say.

"Something Adam said has been bugging me."

They were suddenly serious, their boss' statement reminding them that they still had a murderer to catch.

"What, boss?" Scotty asked.

"The priest. Rush, Miller, I want you to go and ask Greg about Father David," Stillman instructed, "Find out if there's any truth in what Adam said about David abusing Greg."

* * *

From the corner of her eye, Miller watched as Lilly shut the passenger door.

"So, a baby, huh?" she began with a smirk. The blonde detective sighed, turning the heater up.

"You're only just starting with this?" Miller laughed, pulling away from the precinct.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she replied.

A song started up on the radio. Miller's grin grew.

"Oh my God! I have not heard this song for years!" Lilly arched an eyebrow in amusement, and reached forward to turn the volume up.

I get up in the morning light

**My father says when you gonna live your life right**

**Oh Daddy please you know you're still number 1**

**But girls just wanna have fun.**

Lilly watched as her colleague attempted a dance behind the wheel.

"Oh God," she groaned, trying not to laugh. Miller ignored her, and began to sing along.

"The phone rings, in the middle of the night. My mother says…"

The blonde detective gave in, releasing the bubble of laughter that had built up inside her.

"I swear there's something not right with you."

Miller raised her eyebrows, taking a break from belting the tune out.

"Something not right with _me_?" she said in a slightly insulted tone, "Girl, have you looked in the mirror recently?"

Lilly grinned.

"Yes, and I didn't see anything wrong," she replied happily. The curly haired detective rolled her eyes.

"I think I preferred you before you had this wave of self confidence."

* * *

Greg looked up as the church door opened. He dropped the polishing cloth, straightening and waving a hand.

"Detectives!" he exclaimed as the two women walked towards him, "What can I do for you?"

Lilly cleared her throat, smiling sadly.

"We just need to ask you some more questions."

"About what?" the young man asked curiously. Miller took a deep breath.

"About Father David, Greg."

The young man's face fell, and he sat down on the pew.

"Oh," he replied softly. Lilly copied his action, sitting down in the row of seats behind him.

"Greg, does David hurt you?"

"Sometimes. He says that God insists that we are taught a lesson, taught how to accept punishment."

Miller shrugged lightly.

"The Book of Matthew teaches that if God thinks you need to be punished, you'll be punished, but by God's hand only. Think the actual quote is something like_ '__on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, __for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned'."_

Greg nodded, his eyes fixed on the floor.

"Matthew, 12:36-37."

"You know what else the Bible teaches?"

The young man chuckled.

"John, 8:32. The truth shall make you free." Miller nodded.

"Exactly. So tell us about Father David."

Greg sighed heavily.

"He doesn't abuse me...sexually. Nothing like that, but..."

As Greg continued to speak, Lilly stared at her colleague in a mixture of awe and astonishment. She had never heard Miller speak of religion in such a deep context. Vera had mentioned once that she occasionally went to church, but Lilly brushed it off as a simple Christmas tradition.

The blonde detective knew Scotty still went to his childhood place of refuge. Lilly understood that it was his chance to unwind, to escape the pressures of everyday life. Sometimes she went with him, and sat beside him, watching the relaxed smile play around his lips. She often envied his ability to lose himself in the architecture, in the peace and quiet of the building. There was one time, she remembered, when she'd been on a school trip to the local cathedral. It had been a good day...until she went home to find her mother passed out in the kitchen.

"...thanks, Greg. We'll be in touch," Miller said quietly. Lilly blinked, wondering when their witness had finished talking. She cleared her throat.

"Yes. We'll be in touch."

The two women watched as the trainee priest disappeared into the cloister. Hearing a bell ring somewhere in the depths of the church, Miller glanced at Lilly from the corner of her eye, smirking.

"You didn't hear a word he said, did you?"

Lilly grinned sheepishly.

"Not a word."

* * *

"…she should be on desk duty."

"Oh, OK. You can be the one to tell Lil she's stuck inside for the next nine months."

Vera took a bite of his hot dog, grimacing at the idea of a pissed off Ice Queen. After Miller and Rush had returned from their interview, and after Miller had told Rush exactly what Greg had said, the team had called their lunch break, heading out onto the street.

Lt. Stillman and Detectives Jeffries, Miller and Vera were gathered around the coffee wagon outside the Philadelphia Police precinct.

"Where are they? I thought they were right behind us?" Miller asked.

Jeffries straightened, his ears straining.

"Valens!"

"Come on, Lil! It would only be for a little while."

Vera sighed heavily.

"Order up," he muttered. Lilly and Scotty appeared, walking towards them.

"Are they ever…not arguing?"

Stillman forced a smile.

"Lil, Scotty." The blonde detective scowled at her partner.

"Valens," she spat, "thinks I should be taking it easy on desk duty." Jeffries hid a smile, looking away. Vera felt his cheeks turn pink. _Good thing she didn't turn up two minutes ago._

Miller cleared her throat.

"So? Maybe he's right," she said tentatively. Lilly gave her an incredulous look.

"It looks like a goddamn peanut!" she exploded.

Heading to the coffee stall, Vera ordered six coffees. Still angry, Lilly leant over his shoulder.

"Five coffees and a chocolate milkshake," she corrected bitterly. The guy behind the counter chuckled.

"Pregnant, huh?" The blonde detective stuck out her bottom lip.

"I hate this," she grumbled, turning to Stillman, "It's like I've got it tattooed across my forehead."

"Detectives!"

The team turned, hands flying to hips as they saw Michael Marsden aim the gun at Lilly. She raised her hands, feeling her heart plummet into the pits of her stomach.

"Good morning, Detective Rush. I guess I should congratulate you. Heard about your good news."

"How did you find out?" Lilly said slowly.

Marsden smirked.

"Didn't you know? You're the talk of the police force." She swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat. Lilly didn't need to look at her colleagues to know that they were remembering the last time someone had pointed a gun at her, and how that particular incident had ended.

"Come on, Michael, put the gun down," she coaxed, "Let's go inside and talk about this."

Marsden shook his head.

"You took my children, now I'm taking yours," he said calmly, his finger curling around the trigger and squeezing hard.

* * *

How much do ya'll hate me right now? :D Who did Marsden shoot? Did he actually shoot _anyone_? Maybe if you leave me a review, I'll give you a hint. Eye roll. No, I can't leave myself a review, because I already know what happens. Jeez...


	22. Detachment

A/N OK, so maybe I took a little longer to update, but have you seen the length of this chapter?! My fingers just kept typing, and typing...So I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. A Christmas cookie for anyone who can spot the NCIS quote I've jammed in this chapter. Enjoy!

**WARNING: CHAPTER RATED 'M' FOR SEXUAL CONTENT. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.**

Disclaimer: They're on my Christmas list, but right now? Nada. Nothin'. Zilch. But NCIS belongs to Donald Bellisario, if that helps.

* * *

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Michael Marsden pulled the trigger, the gun pointing straight at Lilly. Seeing the bullet speeding towards his pregnant detective, Stillman lunged forward, feeling the bullet pass through his chest.

Scotty pulled Lilly towards him. Vera stood on her other side, his bulky frame protecting her lower abdomen.

Around them, the people on the sidewalk screamed, running in the opposite direction. The team watched in horror as Stillman fell to the floor.

Marsden disappeared into the crowd. Shouting for someone to stop him, Miller and Jeffries threw themselves down beside their fallen leader.

Lilly felt the flashback coming on before she saw the gun.

"Scotty..." she gasped, clutching at his forearms. She was suddenly standing in the interrogation room, watching the bullet hurtle towards her. Pain lanced through her shoulder, white hot and making her head spin.

"_Shoot me now!"_

_Two shots, masking the third...There was no way he could have known. He couldn't have seen where he was shooting...yet he did it anyway._

"_He got me."_

_Scotty. So close and warm. Holding her tight against his chest._

"_Get the paramedics!"_

_She frowns. Is that panic in his voice? Blinding pain._

"_**GET THE PARAMEDICS!"**_

_Definitely panic_. _Her head's spinning, sinking down against the wall. Eyes barely open..._

Scotty's anxious voice drove the flashback from her mind.

"Lilly? Lil?"

Stepping back from Lilly, Vera called for an ambulance, watching in shock. Scotty ran his hands over his partner's arms, checking for any injuries. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"You alright?" the male detective asked in concern. His girlfriend was shaking in terror, the cold drying the dampness on her face.

Miller tore off her jacket, pressing it down on the injury. Stillman cried out in agony.

"Come on, John," Jeffries growled.

"Keep him still," Miller instructed, putting more pressure on the wound.

Lilly shook her head, eyes wide in horror. She trembled uncontrollably.

"So much blood," she murmured. Scotty felt his heart plummet, and he moved his hands to rub her back, feeling her shiver.

"It's alright," he said softly, "you're OK."

The ambulance raced up beside them, the paramedics leaping from the truck.

"Stand aside," they commanded. Scotty pulled Lilly away, her unresponsive form a dead weight in his arms.

Jeffries and Miller moved away, the female detective staring down at the blood on her hands. It wasn't as if she'd never seen blood before- she'd worked Narcotics, for God's sake. Blood was just blood when it came from a drug addict.

But when it was the blood of your boss, of your friend...the blood of someone you cared for, it was different. And different was something Miller didn't do well.

* * *

_The doors to the emergency department flew open, and the paramedics pushed the trolley in._

"_OK team, we have a...John Stillman, late fifties, one gunshot wound to the stomach. BP at 160/95. Pulse at 78, and we have a respiratory rate of 13."_

_The medical team closed in around the stretcher._

"_Get me an echo, and clear the OR. I have a group of detectives out there who are counting on us, and I'm not about to let them down."_

With the surgeon's words echoing through her mind, and the image of the ER doors closing in her face, Lilly paced the hall for hours, still trembling. Jeffries leant against the wall, his face mutinous. Nick and Kat sat on the hard plastic bench, just close enough for their shoulders to touch. Scotty pushed open the double doors.

All heads turned to look at him. Averting his eyes, he shook his head.

"They still don't know," he said stonily. Lilly felt tears prick the back of her eyelids, and she stepped into her partner's arm. Scotty held her close, looking over her head and into the room where their boss lay motionless.

Jeffries swore quietly.

"I can't just do nothing. Who wants coffee?" Miller said, as she and Vera stood up.

"I'm buyin'," the big detective replied. Jeffries looked at Scotty questioningly. The younger detective shook his head, cradling Lilly against his chest.

As the trio headed for the cafeteria, the doors swung shut with a soft click. Lilly turned her head to look through the window at Stillman, her blonde hair tickling Scotty's chin.

"You should rest," he said softly. Lilly looked up at him, and he wished he could kiss away the fear and defeat he saw in her eyes.

"He's the closest thing I've got to a father, Scotty. I can't lose him," she said in a small voice.

Scotty led her to the chairs, pulling her down into his lap. He held her against his body, feeling her warm breath rush across his neck. Eventually, Lilly's breathing slowed, and out of pure exhaustion, she fell asleep, her fingers clutching at his shirt. Jeffries returned with cups of coffee, followed by Miller and Vera.

Seeing Lilly sleeping in her partner's lap, the tall detective chuckled.

"How's she doing?" he asked, his deep voice soothing. Scotty smiled down at the woman asleep in his arms, and gently kissed her forehead.

"She's worried about Boss. And the baby's makin' her feel all sorts of crap."

Miller laughed softly.

"I remember when I was pregnant with V I had a passion for pickled onions." Vera wrinkled his nose.

"Disgustin'," he grumbled half-heartedly. The woman beside him rolled her eyes.

"Shut it, fat ass."

Scotty tightened his arm around Lilly's waist, chuckling quietly. She shifted in his arms, curling her fingers into his chest. _This musta been what Lil was like as a kid before her Ma went AWOL, _he realised, _all innocent an' peaceful._

A doctor cleared his throat.

"Detectives?" he said nervously. Vera stood up.

"You got news?" The doctor glanced at the sleeping woman. Scotty narrowed his eyes menacingly. The doctor cleared his throat again.

"It might be best if you all hear this."

"So start talking," came the quiet reply from Scotty's lap. The male detective glanced down at Lilly, only to see her pale blue eyes staring at the doctor. He hadn't even noticed she had woken up. Lilly sat up, readjusting her position in her partner's lap.

The doctor nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Lt. Stillman has had a successful surgery. The bullet was lodged in his abdominal wall, but it, uh, missed all the vital organs."

Seeing the five pairs of eyes staring back at him, he continued hurriedly.

"There was some bleeding, but we managed to control that, and, uh...well, it nicked the pulmonary artery trunk. Nothing too serious during theatre."

He withdrew something from the pocket of his lab coat, offering it to Jeffries.

"We removed the bullet. Looks like a .45."

Jeffries held the plastic bag up to eye level, glaring at the dented piece of metal. Vera and Miller exchanged anxious glances.

"So? What's next?" the woman asked.

"Well, we've put two tubes in his chest to drain off any fluid, and we'll transfer your lieutenant to intensive care, but until he wakes up, there's nothing else we can do."

Jeffries clenched his fist.

"Wait? All we can do is fucking wait?" Lilly glanced up at him.

"They have to see what happens in the first 24 hours. If there's any other tissue or muscle damage, they might have to perform surgery again," she explained softly. The doctor raised an eyebrow.

Seeing his questioning look, Lilly lowered the collar of her shirt to reveal the small silvery scar. The doctor nodded understandingly, backing out of the waiting area.

Scotty felt the back of his throat burn at the reminder of his greatest failure.

"What do we do now?" Miller asked, giving the male detective an excuse to look away from his partner's skin.

"Boss don't need all of us here at the same time."

Lilly nodded, sliding out of her partner's lap and into the seat beside him.

"He's right. You guys should go get something to eat," she said quietly. Miller glanced at Vera, and seeing his approving nod, sent a grateful smile towards her colleagues. She stood up.

"You guys want anything?"

The couple shook their heads, Lilly turning slightly green at the mention of food. Jeffries caught Scotty's eye.

"Come on, Valens. You look as if you're about to pass out."

Scotty hesitated, feeling his breath catch.

"Go," Lilly whispered, nudging him with her elbow. He remained seated. The blonde detective sighed heavily.

"Scotty, you're making it worse. Just go," she snapped.

Taken aback at the sharp edge to her voice, Scotty scowled, storming towards the cafeteria. Miller arched an eyebrow.

"He better be drinkin' decaf."

* * *

_I didn't mean to yell at him, _Lilly thought morosely, _I just..._

She sighed, rubbing her aching back. _That bullet was meant for me, and now look what's happened. Why did Boss have to do what he did? He should have just...Dammit, Rush! He was aiming at your baby! What the hell is wrong with you?_

Rage simmering beneath the surface, Lilly sat down in the chair beside the bed. She stared at Stillman's still body, desperate for some sign of him waking up. She reached out to take his hand, tears loitering in her eyes.

"Hey, boss," she said softly, "I just, uh…I just…" Lilly rubbed a hand over her face.

Vera leant against the doorframe, out of Lilly's line of vision. _Where the hell is Miller with my food? _He listened in silence as the woman continued in a choked voice.

"You have to wake up, boss. Don't leave us. Who's going to teach my baby about the wars?" She laughed softly. "Sure as hell won't be Vera."

The burly detective hid a smile, watching. Lilly rested her elbows on the bed.

"Scotty says you'll wake up eventually. Don't disappoint me, boss. I need you to walk me down the aisle."

Vera raised his eyebrows. _Well, ain't that a turn out for the books? Rush actually wants to get married. Well, I'll be… _Lilly sniffed, tears creeping down her cheeks.

"I need you to be a grandpa to our baby, boss. So you have to wake up," she continued, her voice breaking, "You have to."

As his colleague, the woman he thought of as a sister, began to sob, Vera cleared his throat. _Aw, crap. Cryin' women is somethin' I don't do. I'm more of a pissed off, firecracker, detective kinda guy._

He stifled a sigh. _Ah well. Rush better not kick my ass for this later. _Walking across to Lilly, He sat down in the chair beside her, pulling her into his chest.

"He'll get through it, Lil. Come on," he soothed.

Vera glanced down at Lilly, his brow furrowed in a thoughtful frown.

"Hey, Lil?"

"Yeah?" she sniffed.

"That baby..."

"What about it?"

"It don't really look like a peanut, does it?"

The woman couldn't help but release a snort of laughter into his jacket. Vera chuckled.

"Everythin' will be alright, Lil."

"Really?" she asked doubtfully, sitting back to study him critically. He shrugged.

"Would I lie to you?"

Lilly straightened, smiling slightly despite the anxiety eating away at her insides.

"Ask me who's buried in Lincoln's tomb. It's a harder question."

* * *

She would never have broken down in front of anyone like that before. _Must be these crazy hormones shooting around my body. _Lilly rested the back of her head against the wall. _And now I've gone and pissed Scotty off again. Just when we'd managed to get back on track._

"Hey."

The low voice burst through her bubble of depression. Lilly turned, a tiny ghost of a smile hovering around her lips. Scotty moved towards her, a look of frustrated tiredness painted across his features. She lowered her gaze to the floor and folded her arms.

"I didn't mean to snap at you," she said quietly.

Scotty was right beside her, slowly sliding an arm around her slim waist and hugging her into his side.

"You gotta start trustin' people, Lil. It's alright to show you're scared, you know," he replied, his voice soft.

She tilted her head to look at him, and saw a look in his eyes that both thrilled her and scared her to the core. It was strong, passionate, all the things that made her fall in love with him in the first place.

But at the same time, it was tender and loving, warm. It was a look that promised forever. She heard her breath catch. _But I nearly didn't have forever...I could have lost it all._

"_Shoot me now!"_

_Two shots, masking the third...There was no way he could have known. He couldn't have seen where he was shooting...yet he did it anyway._

"_He got me."_

_Scotty. So close and warm. Holding her tight against his chest._

"_Get the paramedics!"_

"_**GET THE PARAMEDICS!"**_

_Head spinning._

"_Who can we call? Who can we call? Who can we call? Who can..."_

Panic rose up within her, and the blonde detective needed to reassure herself, needed to make sure she really was alive. She'd told him once that she didn't need saving, didn't need a hero.

She lied.

Lilly led Scotty down the hall and into the janitor's closet, closing and locking the door behind them. She edged closer towards him, catching his lips in a hungry kiss.

Scotty gently eased her back against the shelving unit, one arm circling her waist, the other holding her tight against him. When Lilly finally tore her swollen lips away, she looked up at her boyfriend with pain-filled eyes.

He raised a hand to caress her cheek.

"Distract me," the blonde detective whispered. Scotty stared into her face for a minute, before tugging on her hair and crushing their lips together. Lilly melted against him, and he pressed her more forcibly against the shelves.

As he gripped her waist, Lilly parted her lips, allowing his tongue to dance against hers. Scotty felt himself grow hard, and his partner groaned slightly at the feel of his erection fitting into the curves of her body.

Her hands frantically tried to loosen his belt buckle. The male detective had almost called her up on this game a few days ago- using sex as a way to avoid a conversation. In this case, however, Scotty was happy to roll with it, as it seemed he too wanted to avoid thinking about their lieutenant. He lowered his head to her neck, branding the soft creamy skin with his teeth. Lilly cried out in pleasure, sliding her hands up over the firm ridges of his chest. Scotty tore her own blouse from her shoulders, carelessly tossing it to the floor.

Feeling the burn of his lips on her neck, Lilly's fumbling fingers managed to undo the buttons of his shirt, pushing the material from his shoulders. Scotty ground his hips against hers, his hardness rock solid against her leg.

Shoes and socks joined shirts, Scotty's pants and his belt. He lifted Lilly up, and kissing the spot beneath his ear, she kicked off her slacks. Her legs looped around his waist. Bracing her against the shelving unit, one hand supporting her backside, Scotty pushed his boxers down, letting the pool around her ankles.

Lilly shuddered, feeling his shaft pressing against her heated centre. His free hand skilfully lowered the scrap of material that passed as panties, pulling them down and over her hips. He entered her in one swift movement, groaning at her warmth surrounding him. The blonde detective buried a cry in the crook of his neck. Scotty began to move, his thrusts hard and fast. This wasn't a time to be gentle, or to savour the moment, so he pounded into Lilly as hard as he thought she could take it.

With the shelves digging into her back, Lilly kissed Scotty fiercely, locking her ankles together in the hope of drawing him closer. He reached spots inside her that she'd forgotten about, sending waves of pleasure flooding through her extra receptive sensors. Scotty reached a hand between them to find the enlarged bud at her centre. Lilly failed to stop a shout of pleasure tearing from her throat, and he chuckled throatily.

"Someone will hear you," he whispered teasingly, before lowering his mouth to the slope of her breast.

He wasn't stupid- he knew that pregnant women suffered from sore boobs, amongst other things, so Scotty was careful. He placed soft kisses across Lilly's smooth skin, feeling a heated flush follow the trail of his lips. The temperature in the closet had risen, and the heat seemed to vaporise from their bodies.

Lilly felt sweat bead on her brow, floating on the pleasure drawn from his talented fingers working down below, and met his feverish pace thrust for thrust. Scotty knew that he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. _But Mama always taught me ladies first._

Feeling his girlfriend's muscles start to tighten around his length, the male detective ground his teeth together, sliding a finger into her core. He painted pictures on her inner walls, driving into her over and over again until it was hard to tell where he ended and she began. Scotty pressed down lightly on the nub between his fingers, and sent Lilly soaring over the edge. She cried out in ecstasy, gripping his shoulders so hard that he swore he'd have bruises in the morning.

Feeling her slick juices coating his length, Scotty plunged into his partner a final time. With a moan of release, he joined Lilly on the wave of lust that surrounded them, and they finished their orgasms simultaneously. Lilly collapsed against him, her forehead resting on his sweaty shoulder. Scotty pulled out of her. Still holding her safely in his arms, he reached down to pull up his boxers. Lilly shuddered slightly, and he placed a kiss to her neck.

The blonde detective felt tears appear in her eyes. Noticing the moisture soaking into his shoulder, Scotty chuckled, reaching down to gently pull his partner's underwear up. Lilly shifted in his arms. She allowed him to slide her panties over her hips, his fingers brushing her still tender folds.

More tears dripped from her cheeks, and Scotty laughed softly.

"Was it really that bad?" he asked teasingly. Lilly raised her head to stare at him incredulously.

"No! Scotty, the sex was..."

"Relax, Lil," he interrupted, kissing her forehead, "I'm kiddin'."

Lilly lowered her legs to the floor, her knees trembling from their strenuous work out. Scotty handed her the discarded shirt, gently draping it around her shoulders.

"I don't know why I'm crying," she mumbled.

"Because you're pregnant and hormonal, Lil. It's allowed, OK? An' 'cause you're worried about Boss."

As his partner rested against the shelves, Scotty pulled on his work pants, zipping them up and threading the belt through the loops.

"What if he doesn't wake up, Scotty?" Lilly asked tiredly, slowly bending down for her own clothes.

Scotty cupped her face in his hands, smoothing his thumbs over her flushed cheeks.

"Then we'll deal with that if an' only if it happens."

Lilly nodded, fixating on the smooth skin of his chest.

"Thanks, Scotty." He tilted her chin upwards, pressing a soft kiss to her swollen lips.

"You're welcome, Lil."

* * *

Vera looked up with a frown as the couple approached hand in hand.

"Where have you been? I thought you were right behind us, Valens?"

Scotty shrugged, feeling Lilly's fingers tangled around his.

"Talkin'," he replied simply. His partner hid a small smile, following him to the empty seats. _Talking? Is that what they're calling it these days?_

"Stop thinkin' about it," Scotty murmured, pulling her down into his lap, "They're gonna know where we were."

"I'll take my chances," Lilly replied seriously.

The anxiety she'd felt before seeing Scotty had lessened slightly, and the darkness that was continuously threatening to overwhelm her had been pushed to the very back of her mind. Lilly glanced over her shoulder, smiling slightly at the sight of her colleague's sitting nearby.

"What do you think they're talking about?" she questioned.

Scotty chuckled, looping his arms around her waist and linking them in front of her stomach.

"Probably when to tell us they're actually together," he replied. Lilly raised her eyebrows.

"You think they're at that point already?"

Her partner grinned.

"Vera said he's gotta leave early tomorrow. Said he'll be unavailable to work tomorrow night."

"And?"

"It's Wednesday, Lil. Veronica has ballet."

Lilly groaned, feeling her stomach churn.

"Not again," she cried, speeding off towards the bathrooms. She pushed past the approaching doctor, covering her mouth with her hand.

The puzzled physician watched her leave in concern.

"Is she OK?" he asked. Scotty patted him on the shoulder, quickly following his partner's receding footsteps.

"She's fine."

Jeffries stood up, a deep frown creasing his forehead.

"Have you got news?"

"Yes. Go home." Miller arched an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

The doctor grinned.

"Your lieutenant says go home."

* * *

Stillman coughed slightly, gingerly reaching for the glass of water that stood on his table. He stretched further, wincing at the sharp pain that lanced through his body.

"Haven't you got nurses that could do that for you?"

The lieutenant looked up, a tired smile spreading from his lips at the sight of his three detectives standing in the doorway.

"I can manage," he croaked. Jeffries grinned, moving further into the room to sit beside his old friend.

"You gave us quite a fright there, John," he said.

Miller and Vera stood at the foot of the bed.

"Talk about déjà vu," Vera said in his gravelly voice, "I've had damn near enough of waitin' in hospitals."

Kat gave him a teasing smile, covering up a tender smile with her sarcasm.

"I think that's Vera's way of saying he was worried about you, boss." Vera rolled his eyes.

"You were too," he retorted.

"Hey! Cut it out," Jeffries said, although his complaint didn't really hold much conviction.

The wounded detective chuckled.

"Any progress on catching Marsden?"

"No, no, no, Boss," Miller said firmly, "That's not your job anymore. You just gotta get better."

Stillman grunted, noting the truth in her words, and stiffly moved his head to search the room.

"Where're Rush and Valens?" he asked hoarsely. Vera grinned.

"Bathroom. Lil can't keep anythin' down right now."

"...no! Just because I throw up all the time doesn't mean I should be in bed, Scotty! If you were in my position..."

"I'd be goin' home!" Scotty interrupted. Vera chuckled, exchanging amused glances with his colleagues.

From the hospital room, Stillman raised his eyebrows. Lilly's irate voice piped up again.

"I swear, Scotty, one day I'll..."

"Rush! Valens!" Stillman called sternly.

Lilly appeared in the doorway, the scowl melting off her face, only to be replaced by a look of utter shock. With Scotty moving closer, she stood for a moment, her mouth floundering. Before she could do anything, the churning in her stomach made her head straight for the bathroom to the side of Stillman's hospital room. They heard her angry voice a moment later.

"Dammit, Scotty!"

* * *

See? I told you I wouldn't hurt Lilly. How many of you found the NCIS quote? An EXTRA cookie if you can tell me which character said it. That means you'll have to leave me a review. Angelic smile.


	23. Collide

A/N HEY EVERYBODY! I hope you all had a great holiday, and didn't get too down about going back to work! I apologize for the late update, but I had more important things to do, like...open presents...Before ya'll read this and decide to hate me, I KNOW I promised that the angst was over, and after this, it pretty much is. I think there's some major character growth! Although I hope they (Lilly) aren't too out of character. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Cold Case. It WAS on my list for Santa, but I don't think I paid the right amount of postage...

* * *

"I can't believe he threw me out!"

Scotty chuckled at the furious exclamation from the kitchen.

"Lil, you'd been sittin' by his bed for practically three days straight. Someone had to tell you."

Lilly appeared in the living room, narrowing her eyes in his direction.

"You could have asked me to come home!" she retorted, readjusting the elasticized waistband of her pyjama pants. Scotty grinned.

"Like you woulda listened to me!"

The blonde detective stormed off into the bedroom, still ranting about the injustice of being forcibly removed from the hospital. Chuckling, Scotty switched off the TV, following the sound of his partner's angry voice.

"...and I don't see why he kicked me out! It wasn't as if I'm allowed to help you catch Marsden," she shouted bitterly. Scotty chuckled.

"Calm down, Lil. You know what Dr Klein said about getting too worked up," he said, stripping down to his boxers. Lilly slammed her draw shut, turning to glare at him.

"Don't piss me off, Valens. I might have to shoot you," she said dangerously. The male detective reached for her, pulling her towards him. Her body collided with his, and she rolled her eyes.

"I think," Scotty began slowly, turning her around to rub circles on her tense shoulders, "that you need to relax."

She sighed heavily, leaning her head back against him.

"I am relaxed, Scotty." His low chuckle vibrated against her skin, and Lilly felt his lips dance over collarbone.

"About as relaxed as Vera gets when he doesn't eat," he murmured.

His lips began to mark the soft skin at the side of her throat, leading her towards the bed. Lilly nudged him with her elbow.

"Don't give me a hickie," she murmured. Scotty continued to suck on her neck. Using all of her might to pull away, the blonde detective sighed.

"Scotty," she whined petulantly. Her partner smirked.

"OK," he said in a low voice, "what about…" He moved his lips up to the spot just behind Lilly's ear, gently sucking and kissing the smooth skin, "here?"

Feeling shivers shoot through her body, Lilly stifled a gasp.

"No…that's…Scotty, that's…Oh God."

Laughing, Scotty gently pushed her down on the bed, releasing her neck as he fell down beside her. Lilly growled at the loss of contact, and narrowed her eyes.

"That's it? Didn't your mother tell you never to make a promise you can't keep?" she said in frustration.

He curled around her, blowing lightly on the outer shell of her ear.

"I never promised anythin', Lil."

"Tease," Lilly pouted, grabbing his hand and clutching it tightly between hers.

"Do you miss her?" Scotty asked suddenly. She blinked, feeling the content smile slide from her face. _He wouldn't…would he? _

"Do I miss who?" Lilly asked cautiously. Her partner paused for a moment, before replying.

"Your mother."

The blonde detective felt her heart sink, hearing her breath catch. _He did_, she thought in pained disbelief. Fighting back sudden tears at the thought of her mother, Lilly climbed out of his arms, and off the bed, heading into the living room. She shut the bedroom door, the soft click bouncing off the walls.

Scotty swore softly.

"You didn't let me finish," he muttered. He slid off the mattress, straightening his pyjama pants. Padding softly along the corridor, he ran a hand through his hair. Lilly barely acknowledged him. For a while they both stood in silence.

"You son of a bitch," Lilly said softly. Scotty nodded, knowing that he was on extremely thin ice. His partner turned to face him, her Ice Queen mask fixed firmly in place. He took a step towards her.

"I'm sorry, Lil. I just wanted to know if..."

"If I was the heartless bitch everyone thinks I am?" she interrupted bitterly, "Lilly Rush, what a bitch. Can't have been that upset about her mother dying, 'cause she threw herself straight back into work."

Scotty placed his hands at the top of her shoulders, his face horrified.

"No, Lil! That ain't what I was thinkin'! I just...you never talk about it, an' I know there's still so much you ain't tellin' me, Lil, but I jus' wanna make it disappear."

Her glare lessened in intensity, although her mouth was set in a firm line. She suddenly realised that she was exhausted, a mixture of pregnancy and overwrought emotions eating away at the insides of her eyelids.

"I'm going to bed," she said quietly, walking past him and heading back to the bedroom.

Scotty followed after her, frowning.

"Am I allowed to come wit' you?" he asked cautiously. Lilly glanced over her shoulder, the look on her face clearly tearing into his heart like a knife through Jell-O.

"Do what you want," she murmured.

From his position in the doorway, he watched her return to the bed, her shoulders sagging further with every step. _I'm too tired to have this fight now, _the blonde detective thought, collapsing under the covers.

Closing her eyes, Lilly briefly considered the fact that maybe she had jumped the gun, been too harsh on Scotty. She felt him slide into bed beside her. Hesitating for a moment, Lilly turned towards him, coming face to face with his dark eyes.

"I never meant to upset you, Lil. You gotta know that," Scotty said softly. Her face softened, and she nodded almost discernibly.

Not trusting herself to speak, Lilly rolled away from him. Sighing, Scotty placed a gentle kiss to the back of her neck, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Goodnight, Lil," he said quietly.

Getting no reply, Scotty sighed again. Lilly lay immobile, feeling his warm, solid body behind hers. Feeling his breathing slow on the back of her neck, and his body relax, the female detective eased back into her partner, hugging the arm that encircled her waist. Certain that he was asleep, Lilly released a shaky sigh, her voice coming out as a whisper.

"Goodnight."

* * *

She was gone before he woke the next morning. Scotty showered and dressed quickly, cursing himself for once again opening his mouth before thinking the consequences through. Olivia and Tripod curled around his legs, covering his black trousers in fur.

"What's up?" he asked in confusion. Tripod hobbled over to the food bowls, and looking down, Scotty immediately saw what the problem was. He raised a surprised eyebrow, and set about rectifying the problem. _Lil musta really been in a mood this mornin'. _Catching a glimpse of the clock, he swore loudly.

"Shit!"

Grabbing a slice of cold toast from the toaster, he raced out of the door, and in less time than he thought possible, the male detective was hurrying into the Homicide department, brushing stray crumbs from his jacket.

As he had expected, Lilly was already at her desk, looking immaculate as always. _God knows how she manages to look stunnin' after the night we had. _He took a deep breath.

"Guess I better get this over an' done with sooner or later," he murmured, slipping his jacket from his shoulders. Fully expecting some form of the Ice Queen treatment, Scotty stopped beside her desk, smiling sheepishly. He dropped his jacket onto his chair.

"Hey, Lil," he began tentatively. She sniffed haughtily, not looking up from her file. Scotty swallowed.

"Uh, you, uh, left in such a, uh…this mornin', you, uh…"

Seeing the dangerous tension stiffening his partner's slim frame, the male detective continued hurriedly.

"Jus' thought you'd want to know that you, uh…youforgottofeedthecats," he finished quickly, turning on his heel and all but running into the break room.

_Well, that was fairly painless, _he thought, pouring himself a mug of coffee. _Guess it coulda been a lot worse. _Sighing, Scotty brought the cup to his lips.

"Did I really forget them?"

At the small voice that came from behind him, Scotty spun around, spitting out the mouthful of hot liquid. Wiping his mouth, he stepped towards her, placing the mug on the side.

"Yeah, but don't worry, I did it," he replied. Lilly looked away, blushing furiously.

"Thanks."

"Look, Lil…" His voice trailed off at the slight smile on her face.

"You have coffee down your shirt," she said softly, lifting her eyes to his. Feeling a broad grin appear from his lips, Scotty reached out, fighting back his surprise as Lilly willingly stepped into his arms.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled into his chest, "I don't know what's wrong with me."

Her partner chuckled.

"Are you apologizin'? I don't believe it. Lilly Rush, apologizin'." She rolled her eyes, and sank back into him.

"It's the hormones."

Scotty's chuckle grew into a laugh, and he hugged her even tighter against his muscular frame.

"I know, Lil."

"Hmm..." she sighed, "I love you."

"I love you too, Lil. So you wanna talk about what's _really_ botherin' you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, Lil, I ain't as stupid as I look," Scotty grinned. Lilly rested her cheek against his chest, letting her hands hang loosely by her sides.

"I'm worried about..."

"The baby?" her partner prompted. Lilly nodded, tears springing unbidden to her eyes.

"Yeah. I guess I just want this to be over. I mean, Marsden tried to kill me! Tried to kill our baby! And I would have done anything, Scotty, **anything** to have protected this child!"

He rubbed circles on her back.

"Hey, hey, hey. It'll be fine," he soothed.

"But what if…?"

"But what, Lil?"

Stepping back, she angrily wiped away a lone tear from her cheek.

"Scotty, I forgot to feed my cats. How am I supposed to raise a child?" she said tearfully. He ran his hands through her hair, concern written across his face.

"Listen to me. You, you're Lilly Rush- the strongest, most amazin' person I know. An' I ain't ever seen you give less than 110% on anythin'. So who says this is gonna be any different?"

Her sniffs erupted into full sobs, and Scotty watched helplessly, unsure as to whether these were real 'I'm seriously scared' tears, or 'I'm pregnant and hormonal' tears. He had a strong feeling they were a mixture of both.

"I don't want our baby to hate me, Scotty!"

"Lil, you're gonna be a great Mom!"

"No, I won't!" she sobbed. Scotty placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Yeah, you will. Look at how you were with Miley Jameson. An' you remember Sean? Back when you was still wit' Kite? An' don't forget Adam and Cady, Lil. You're gonna be fine."

"But what if I **do** screw this up, Scotty? What if I fail, and our baby turns out just like I did?"

Scotty held her at arm's length, taking in everything about her.

"If our baby turns out jus' like you? Well, from where I'm standin', that ain't such a bad thing," he whispered.

Lilly's sobs caught in her throat, finally hearing something in his voice that she'd been searching for ever since she was a little girl. She stared at him, the tears drying on her cheeks. His breath became shallow, the heat of her body soaking through his shirt into her skin. She leant forward, her lips searching for his, and Scotty began to close the gap between them.

"Rush? Jeffries is lookin' for you," Vera called loudly. The couple could hear his heavy footsteps approaching, and Lilly managed to tear her eyes away from Scotty's just in time. Vera's head appeared around the doorframe.

"Rush?"

"Yeah," she replied faintly, still recovering from the raw emotion she'd heard in her partner's voice, "I'm here."

"Jeffries wanted to let you know that Jo Reynolds just turned up wit' Adam. Says Marsden left a message for the kid on her answer phone. Thought you might wanna see talk to him," the burly detective said, eyeing the couple suspiciously.

Lilly nodded, slipping past him. Adam's face lit up as he spotted her, and the child ran from his aunt's side.

"Lilly!"

The blonde detective smiled, hugging him against her waist. Crouching down, Lilly held him at arm's length.

"So how's school?" she whispered conspiratorially. Adam pulled a face.

"It sucks," he replied in a low voice, "we even got _homework."_

She grinned, and stood up. Stood up **way **too quickly. Her stomach flipped uncomfortably, and Lilly turned to the man standing behind her.

"I'm not feeling too good," she whispered. Scotty frowned in concern.

"Go."

Lilly took off, heading straight for the bathroom.

"Lilly?" Adam called, his voice panicked, "Lilly?"

"It's alright, buddy," Vera said reassuringly, "she's just feelin' a bit rough."

"But why?"

"'Cause she's pregnant," Scotty said worriedly. Vera rolled his eyes, catching the pleading look his colleague sent in his direction.

"Go on then. Me an' the kid will jus' stay here."

Scotty shot him a grateful smile, and hurried after his retreating partner, following her into the ladies bathroom. Adam looked up at his companion with a shy smile.

"Your name's Nick, right?" he asked curiously. Vera chuckled.

"Yeah. An' you're Adam."

The boy nodded.

"Is Lilly really having a baby?"

"That's right. Her very own bundle o'..."

Adam froze, looking over Vera's shoulder. The detective frowned as he watched the child tense, and the end of his sentence vanished from the tip of his tongue.

"What is it, Adam?" he asked. The boy swallowed.

"Daddy."

Vera turned, his hand flying to the gun at his hip. In seconds, he had it drawn and pointed at Marsden, and was pulling Adam behind him.

"Put your hands up, Marsden!" the detective shouted. Seeing the situation in the bullpen, Miller and Jeffries rushed out from the break room, weapons aimed and ready to be fired. The killer raised his hands above his head, smiling sadly.

"It's OK, detectives, I'm not armed. I've...I've had enough. My own son hates me, my daughter doesn't understand. So I'm turning myself in."

He linked his hands behind his head, and exchanging confused glances with Miller, Jeffries moved to cuff the man who had continuously evaded their arrest. Vera holstered his gun, breathing out slowly.

"Michael Marsden, I'm arresting you for the murder of..."

As Miller read his rights, the detective in charge growled, pulling the cuffs a little too tight around Marsden's wrists.

"You're gonna pay for what you did to our boss."

"Will," Miller warned softly.

The vein pulsed in his forehead, and Jeffries all but threw Marsden into the interrogation room. He slammed the door, storming into the break room. Vera shook his head, turning back to Adam.

"You OK, kid?"

Adam nodded uncertainly, his fearful eyes looking so much like Lilly's, Vera had to glance away.

"Stay here for a minute."

The burly detective shut the break room door behind him, shaking his head. Miller gave him a sad look, handing her friend a mug of coffee.

"I don't get it," Vera said, "why would he jus' up an' decide to walk in here?"

Miller shrugged.

"I know I would."

"You would?" Jeffries repeated in disbelief.

"Yeah, if my kid hated me that much."

"Well, that ain't ever gonna happen, 'cause Veronica loves you more than anythin', Kat," Vera said quietly.

His two colleagues turned to stare at him, amusement written across Jeffries' face, a faint blush creeping across Miller's. Vera held his hands up.

"What? I can't be nice?"

Jeffries chuckled.

"Shouldn't you be hangin' out with Adam?" he said pointedly. Vera groaned.

"Do I have to?"

"Vera."

"Fine," the burly detective grumbled, standing up, "but ya'll owe me a box of donuts."

He opened the door, muttering under his breath about the injustice of the whole situation.

"Yo kid, you want...Shit. Where'd he go?"

* * *

Miller rushed into the bath room, her face drawn and anxious.

"We've got a situation," she said breathlessly. Lilly and Scotty were quickly on their feet, following Kat out into the bullpen.

It was empty.

"Where is everyone?" Scotty asked in concern. Miller shook her head, leading them into the observation room. She gestured at the window.

"Oh God," Lilly breathed, her face a mask of horror.

Jeffries turned his head.

"Someone explain to me how the hell that child got hold of a gun," he said slowly.

Adam pointed the gun at his father, hands trembling.

"You killed her, Daddy! I heard you say it!" he sobbed. Each of the detectives watching heard their breath catch.

"No, Adam..." Lilly whispered. Michael Marsden backed up into the corner, his handcuffed hands locked behind him.

"Come on, Adam, I didn't do anything! You've got it all wrong!"

"But I heard you, Daddy!"

"Someone has to go in there," Vera said seriously. Jeffries shrugged.

"Can't. Kid's already taken a couple of pot shots at the door."

"SWAT are on the way. They'll be here in ten."

Lilly's head snapped around so fast it made Scotty wince.

"You're gonna shoot an eight year old boy?" she asked incredulously. Miller looked away guiltily.

"This is out of our hands, Lil."

"Like hell it is!"

She moved towards the door, but failed to get very far as Scotty caught her arm. Lilly glared up at him, silently daring him to hold her back.

"I don't want you to get hurt," he said softly, loosening his grip on her elbow. She brushed her lips over his, resting a gentle hand on his chest.

"I won't," she whispered in reply, "I promise."

Seeing her slide out of Scotty's grip, Vera and Jeffries blocked her way.

"You're pregnant..."

"...and we don't want you to..."

"...or the baby..."

"...put in any danger."

As Jeffries came to a stop, the room fell into silence. The blonde detective sighed heavily.

"I am pregnant, I am armed, and I am seriously pissed off. Move."

The two men exchanged glances, before stepping aside. Despite the gravity of the situation, Miller chuckled.

"Sweet Lord. I think SpongeBob would make a better blockade than you two."

Taking a deep breath, Lilly walked slowly into the interrogation room, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Adam?" she asked softly. His watery eyes focused on her.

"Lilly?" She smiled, taking a step closer.

"What are you doing, Adam?" His sobs increased.

"He killed Mom!"

Lilly took a step closer, kneeling down in front of the distraught boy. Behind her, Marsden trembled uncontrollably, eyeing his son warily.

"I know, Adam." Adam met her eyes again, tears flowing freely down his cheeks. Scotty crept into the room behind them. The gun was still pointed at Marsden, Adam's finger hovering around the trigger. _How the hell did this happen? Kid's eight years old. He shouldn't know how to use a gun._

"Don't let me go back to him, Lilly," the boy said tearfully. The detective shook her head.

"That's not going to happen, Adam, but I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?" she said softly. He nodded. Lilly took a deep breath.

"I was shot in this room. You saw the scar. Do you remember what I told you?"

Adam nodded, his grip on the gun wavering. Lilly continued to speak.

"I told you when something bad happens, you have to talk about it. Like I did when...when I was shot."

Scotty glanced at his partner in alarm, hating the familiar acidic taste rising up at the back of his throat. _She did __**not**__ just start talking about the shooting..._Lilly felt his eyes burning into her, but forced herself to carry on.

"I was lying here, and I remember talking to the stars. Praying for them to keep me alive. The stars see everything, Adam. They know when someone does a bad thing, and when someone is trying to do a good thing."

"But this is a bad thing!" Adam sobbed. Lilly smiled, shaking her head again.

"No, Adam. He did a bad thing. Not you."

"But what will happen to me?" The detective was now directly in front of the gun. Scotty felt his breath catch in his throat. _God, if you can hear me, please don't let that gun go off_. Lilly held out her hand.

"Adam, give me the gun."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. Listen to the stars, Adam. What are they telling you?" Tears dripped onto her hands. Adam hung his head. Lilly felt her own eyes fill.

"Give me the gun," she said quietly. He placed the weapon into her hands.

Lilly quickly slid it across the floor to Scotty. Michael Marsden sank down to the floor in relief. Lilly opened her arms, and Adam sank into them, his tears soaking her shirt. He buried his head in her shoulder, his small arms wrapped around her neck. Tears dripped from the detective's cheeks onto his hair.

"I listened to the stars, Lilly," he sobbed, "I listened."

Lilly held the child close to her body, cradling his head against her chest.

"I know," she whispered, "I know."

* * *

So don't ask me how Adam got the gun, and don't ask me how he got into the interview room. Just accept it, OK? It's FanFiction. I'm allowed a little bit of wild creativity. Maybe he warped? Who knows. Anyway, you'll be pleased to know the case work is nearly finished, so that leaves us a clear runway for Lilly + Scotty + baby = fluff. YAY! Oh, and please leave me a review. Please. Please? Oh.


	24. Demons Of The Mind

A/N Happy New Year! I really hope you all had a great time, and there weren't TOO many hangovers. Sorry it took me so long to upload this, but hey! The crim-solving stuff is done now! YAY! And Kite makes a reappearance in this chapter. I've decided that after Lilly/Scotty, Lilly/Kite is my next favourite. I apologize to anyone who took my very slight Kite-bashing personally! :D You'll all be pleased to know there's loads of room for F-L-U-F-F now that the detective-y part is pretty much finished. Seriously, the next few chapters are so sweet, ya'll will be needing a dentist. I really hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! Happy reading!

Disclaimer: I did get some REAL nice Christmas presents, but unfortunately, Cold Case wasn't actually one of them. But I did get an Eli Manning calendar. Yum.

* * *

Everything was silent except for the sound of paws padding gently through their house. Scotty sat on the sofa, slowly tossing a baseball from one hand to the other. The image of his partner holding Adam tight against her body, with tears streaming down both their faces, was permanently etched in his mind.

The ball slipped out of his hand, landing on the floor with a thud. The gun had been pointing straight at her. _I could have lost them both. I don't blame Adam, but...Jesus, I nearly lost my baby!_

Olivia jumped up onto the sofa, curling up into a ball beside him. He stroked her fur, chuckling at the loud purr she emitted in response.

"We better go wake her up, right? 'Cause I don't want her mad at me because she was late."

Stopping in the bedroom doorway, Scotty chuckled, seeing his girlfriend dozing in the bed with the duvet tucked right up under her chin. He sat down beside her.

"Lil," he said softly, stroking her hair. Lilly stirred, a frown creasing her forehead.

"No..." she whined, swatting his hand away. Scotty grinned.

"Come on, Grumpy, you gotta get up."

The blonde detective opened an eye to glare at him.

"I'm comfortable here," she pouted, pulling the covers over her head.

"Lil."

"No."

Scotty sighed.

"Fine," he said in mock defeat, "but don't blame me if you don't like what I'm about to do."

Lilly's eyes appeared over the edge of the blanket.

"Don't you dare," she threatened. Scotty grinned, ripping the cover off and scooping her up into his arms. His partner's shout of protest was lost as he dumped her back onto the bed, a scowling figure sitting amongst the sheets.

"Asshole," she snapped. Scotty chuckled at the pout of her lips. He knelt on the bed, crawling up in front of her. Lilly narrowed her eyes, trying her best to look fierce. Scotty stole a kiss, laughing as the blonde detective pushed him away.

"Come on, Lil," he grinned, burying his face in her neck.

Feeling the burn of his teeth gently nipping at her throat, Lilly rolled her eyes. Hearing her mutter something under her breath, Scotty chuckled, the sound vibrating against her skin.

"You...are in...a very...very...bad mood," he said, punctuating his words with gentle kisses to her neck.

"Bastard."

Grinning, Scotty raised his head from the crook of her shoulder to kiss her again, and this time Lilly turned her lips to meet his. He lowered her down onto the pillows, his hand sliding up under her t-shirt.

"Mmmm..love you," Scotty murmured, his voice muffled by her lips.

Lilly tugged on his shoulders, pulling him down on top of her. She secured her arms around his neck, leaving him no choice but to settle more comfortably above her, his weight reassuringly heavy against her.

His tongue ravaged her mouth, pressing his thigh between hers. Heat built up between them, and the blonde detective wrapped a leg around his, bringing their hips together. As Lilly slid her hands down to the waistband of his boxers and pressed her lower half more urgently against his, a sharp trilling caused Scotty to chuckle into her mouth.

"Goddamn cell phone," she growled, tearing her lips away and grabbing the offending item off the bedside table. Watching as she flipped it open, Scotty rolled to the side, hugging his partner towards him.

"What?" Lilly snapped. The male detective heard Stillman chuckle at the other end of the line.

"Good morning to you too, Lilly," he replied amiably. She rolled her eyes, elbowing the man beside her as he laughed.

"You have about three minutes until I hurl, so if you need something, I'd hurry up and let me know."

Scotty took the phone from her hand, gently pushing her towards the bathroom.

"Get outta here," he murmured. Lilly gave him a small smile, kissing his cheek, and slid off the bed. He watched her retreating figure, before raising the phone to his ear.

"Boss? Shouldn't you be restin'?"

"I'm fine, Scotty. Just looking for something to do."

"So you're callin' us..." the younger detective said slowly.

"I may be incapacitated, but I'm still in charge, Valens."

"Yes, boss."

Stillman chuckled again.

"Lil's in quite a mood this morning."

"Yeah."

"So what are the chances of her taking today off?" Stillman asked cautiously.

"Pretty much non-existent. Why?"

"This case has been pretty hard on her. It's not only her I have to think about now, Scotty."

The younger man sat up in the bed, suddenly serious.

"You don't think I know that, boss? Believe me, I want Lil to be takin' it easy too, but...I jus' don't think there's a chance of that happenin'."

There was silence for a moment, until both men heard Lilly's angry voice coming from the bathroom.

"I HATE BEING PREGNANT!"

Scotty shook his head at the stream of curses that followed. Stillman chuckled.

"Just make sure she takes it easy."

"Sure thing, boss."

"And Scotty?"

"Yeah?"

"Try not to get yourself killed."

* * *

"It's too early for this," Vera moaned. Miller closed her tired eyes, rubbing a hand across her face.

"So let me get this straight. Marsden copped to the killing. All the evidence supports his story..."

"Except for the missing gun and the lyin' priest," Jeffries finished.

Vera slammed his fist down on the table.

"An' we can't even get that goddamn search warrant," he growled.

A voice from the doorway cleared its throat.

"Maybe I can help with that."

The team turned, eyes widening in surprise. ADA Kite smiled sheepishly. Scotty felt his temper spark in his chest at the memory of their last encounter with the lawyer. Sensing the storm brewing within her partner, Lilly stood up, surreptitiously brushing a reassuring hand over his arm.

"This isn't a great time, Kite," she said.

Kite held out his hands soothingly.

"I'm not here to make trouble, Rush. Actually, I came to apologize." Miller arched an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah?" Kite removed a piece of folded paper from inside his coat. Lilly tried not to look too curious. He held it out for Scotty to take.

"I heard that you needed a search warrant for St Thomas'."

Scotty narrowed his eyes.

"What do you get out of this?" he asked. Miller rolled her eyes. _Why doesn't he just piss in a circle around her?_

Kite cleared his throat, glancing at the blonde detective.

"Look, I know I haven't exactly been helpful, but I promise this is a real live search warrant for that church. Just take it, Valens."

As the male detective began to object, Miller stamped her heel down on Scotty's foot.

"Thanks, Kite," she ground out, deciding that her colleague was in danger of losing their recently acquired warrant. Kite nodded, smiling around at them.

"You're welcome. Lilly, could I, uh..."

She was opening the door before he could finish his sentence.

"Sure," she interrupted shortly. Scotty watched as they walked a short distance into the bullpen. Lilly stood opposite her old boyfriend, looking up at him with an unreadable face. _Dammit. Why couldn't they just stay here an' talk? An' why is she so damn eager to spend some quality time wit' him? Don't she remember how bad he hurt her? Why'd Kite have to be so damn perfect? For God's sake. I hate him. But then he did give us that search warrant. Dammit!_

"Valens!"

From the tone of Jeffries' voice, it wasn't the first time he'd tried to get Scotty's attention. The male detective blinked.

"Yeah?" he said absently, the majority of his brain still wondering what Lilly and Kite were talking so heatedly about. Miller shook her head, grinning at the knowing chuckle Vera gave.

"You alright there, buddy? Wonderin' whether Kite's makin' a move on your girl?" he teased. Scotty glared at him.

"Bite me, Vera," he snapped.

"Hey!" Miller interrupted firmly, "You boys done with your little display of testosterone?" Jeffries chuckled.

"Couldn't have put it better myself, Miller. Scotty, you and Lil take this search warrant down to St. Thomas'."

Vera grinned Scotty eased himself towards the exit.

"You might wanna re-stake your claim, Valens!" The younger man flipped a finger over his shoulder.

"If I did that, I wouldn't have no claim to stake in the first place!"

* * *

Scotty snapped on a pair of rubber gloves, opening the door to the cloister of St. Thomas'.

"So what were you an' Kite talkin' about?" he asked, praying his voice sounded casual. Lilly gave him a sideways glance.

"Stuff. Try that cupboard."

"There's nothin' in this cupboard except books, Lil. Kite say anythin' interestin'?"

"What about up in that hold? His mom died."

"Who's mom died? Kite's?"

"Yeah. It hurt him real bad. He didn't realise that IAB would be so...unforgiving. Keep looking."

Scotty smiled across at her, lowering his eyes from the space he was searching.

"So you an' Kite are OK now?" She nodded, meeting his eyes uncertainly.

"I guess. Is it there?"

"Pass me that box. I can't reach."

Lilly nudged the crate across the floor, before straightening and rubbing her back. For a few minutes, she watched him search in silence.

"I love you, Scotty," she said suddenly. He grinned down at her.

"That was kinda random, but I love you too."

The blonde detective laughed softly.

"Anything? Try the air vent."

"It's too high, Lil," Scotty said, stepping off the box. Lilly sighed in frustration.

"We'll have to get maintenance down here with a ladder." Scotty watched her turn away, her face falling in disappointment. He knew how much solving this case meant to her, and finding this gun would definitely send Michael Marsden away for murder. He sighed, and sat down on the box.

"Lil," he said. His partner turned.

"What are you doing?" Scotty braced himself against the wall.

"Figuring out a way to reach that hatch." His partner smiled gratefully, and moved to stand in front of him.

"What do you want me to do?" Scotty patted his shoulder, and shrugged.

"Stand on my shoulders, I guess."

Concern passed across Lilly's face. She looked up at the hatch, and then down at him.

"Are you sure?" she asked anxiously. He nodded reassuringly. Lilly stepped onto the box, placing her feet either side of him. She carefully onto her partner's shoulders. Scotty blinked as he realised that Lilly was no heavier than a 12-year-old.

"It's here!" Lilly said excitedly. He smiled, hearing her snap on a pair of gloves. A few seconds later, she was carefully planting her feet back on solid ground, smiling in satisfaction at the gun held between her fingers. Scotty stood up, studying the weapon in his partner's hands. Lilly shot him a victorious smile.

"Well, I'm pretty sure that's just put a damper on Marsden's day."

* * *

After their return to the police precinct, the couple found Miller and Vera engaged in an online game of Battleships.

"You sunk my submarine!"

Scotty shook his head, removing his coat and ushering his partner towards the break room.

"You don't wanna know how wrong that sounded," he said to the bickering pair. His partner chuckled.

"You have a sick mind, Valens."

He grinned, placing a quick kiss to her cheek and stepping back to watch her turn pink.

"Sick mind, huh?" he repeated, and Lilly noted the hungry glint in his eye.

"Later," she said firmly, "I need hot chocolate."

Scotty laughed.

"OK, Lil."

Collapsing on the sofa, the pregnant detective watched her partner prepare the two cups, drinking in the muscular ridges of his back barely visible through his shirt. Lilly allowed her eyes to travel further up to the curve of his neck, and the slightly spiky black hair at the base of his head. Her gaze wandered across the visible part of his face, all the way around to the eyes that she loved so much. Her smile faded slightly.

_"...shoot me now!"_

_"He got me."_

_"Get the paramedics! __GET THE PARAMEDICS!"_

"Hey, Scotty?"

"Yeah, Lil?"

"I'm sorry."

At this, he met her gaze, his face clouding in confusion at the tears he saw building in her eyes.

"For what, Lil?"

She shook her head.

"Damn hormones. I don't know why I'm crying."

"Sorry for what, Lil?" Scotty repeated gently. The blonde detective felt tears creep over her eyelids, and she attempted a watery smile.

"For asking him to shoot me," she replied, making a noise that was somewhere between a sob and an embarrassed chuckle. Scotty moved across to crouch in front of her.

"I know, Lil. I know," he replied gently, brushing his finger over her bottom lip. Lilly sheepishly wiped her eyes, resting her forehead against his.

"I never got a chance to thank you properly," she continued softly. Scotty chuckled, smoothing his thumb over her cheek.

"What's brought all this up, Lil?"

"I was just thinking through some stuff, and I realised that you've always, you know…been there with me."

The male detective pressed his lips to hers. He smiled as he pulled away.

"Always will be, Lil."

* * *

The clock had only just made it past 11:30, and Vera's stomach rumbled loudly.

"Jesus, Vera! You forget to eat this year or something?" Miller said. Scotty chuckled.

"Don't know if Vera could even go an hour without eatin' somethin', Kat," he replied. Lilly gave her partner a sharp slap on his arm.

"Go pick on someone your own size, Valens." Vera sent her a toothy grin.

"Thanks, Rush. You know, I definitely like you better when you're knocked up. There's somethin' almost...human, about you."

The blonde detective glared at him.

"And just when I was almost feeling sorry for you," Miller chuckled. Luckily, before the fuming blonde could lash out, Jeffries came to a stop beside their desks, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"DA's office called. If we can get a confession, they think they'll be no problem sending Marsden straight to jail."

"Who's doing the interrogation, boss?" Vera asked, a hint of eagerness breaking through his voice. Jeffries ignored Vera's jibe, and glanced at all of them, his gaze finally coming to rest on Lilly. Although her eyes were still fixed on the page, the blonde detective was listening intently. Hearing no reply from the detective in charge, she looked up from the file to find four pairs of eyes staring at her. Her own eyes widened.

"No," she stated stubbornly. Jeffries took a step towards her. Behind him- sensing things could get messy- Vera and Miller exchanged wary glances, and moved backwards.

"Rush, he's already got something in common with you."

Lilly turned towards Scotty, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Come on, Scotty!"

He moved towards her, and crouched down in front of her seat, sliding his hands up her neck to cup her face.

"Lil, he's an ass," Scotty said quietly, smoothing his thumbs over her cheekbones.

"He's an ass who killed his wife. Who killed the mother of his kids? Kids," Lilly replied in frustration, "that are…"

His eyes met hers, warm and understanding.

"Kids that are just part of a normal case," he interrupted softly. Lilly searched for another argument, staring at him pleadingly. After a moment, she sighed heavily.

"There are days when I hate you," she murmured. Chuckling, Scotty leant forward to kiss his partner's forehead, indulging in a rare display of personal affection.

"I know," he replied. Vera, Miller and Jeffries looked at each other in disbelieving astonishment, surprised that a) Lilly had allowed herself to be so easily persuaded, and b) Lilly had allowed Scotty to show any sign of affection in front of them. Vera shook his head.

"I'll never get how he does that." Miller frowned.

"Does what?"

"That. Gets her to do anythin'. Valens is practically God."

The dark haired woman punched his arm.

"Will you quit bein' a moron?"

"Maybe next year."

* * *

Lilly felt her breath catch in her throat.

"I'm doing my very best not to shoot you right now, so I'd start talking."

Marsden nodded.

"I've already confessed, so what do I have to lose?"

"I'm sure we could arrange something," Lilly replied dangerously.

The murderer nodded again, his face set in defeat, and began to speak in a low voice.

_Kate Marsden backs away. Her husband glares at her._

"_Are you sleeping with him?" he shouts._

"_Who?"_

"_That man! Stuart. Don't lie to me, Kate!"_

"_No, Michael! I wouldn't do that!"_

_Her husband pulls the gun out of his coat pocket. Kate feels her back hit the wall, and tears slide down her cheeks._

"_Michael! Please, I didn't!" she sobs. He shakes his head, eyeing his wife coldly._

"_It's too late, Katie."_

_He squeezes the trigger. Kate crumples to the ground, her eyes wide in fear. Marsden stares at his hands in shock, trembling at the realisation of what he's done. Replacing the gun inside his jacket, he throws himself to the ground beside her, frantically pressing down on the wound._

"_I'm sorry," he repeats over and over._

_It's too late. His wife goes still, eyes glazing over, frightened gaze fixed on the stars above. Marsden straightens, tears pouring down his cheeks._

"So then you grabbed the gun, and went to confession?" Lilly finished in disgusted disbelief. Marsden smiled sadly, his face a picture of sorrow and regret.

"Sometimes, detective, God is the only person that actually listens."

She sat back in the chair, her blue eyes glittering intensely.

"But the Bible doesn't have an answer for everything."

"Spoken like a true Atheist," Marsden replied. Lilly narrowed her eyes.

"I never said I didn't believe in God. I pointed out that the Bible teaches many things that...that contradict each other, so religion is just a matter of conscience, and common sense, and **morality**."

Marsden studied her for a moment, and the detective suddenly caught a glimpse of the man he must have once been.

"_Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her."_

Lilly stood up, closing the file.

"We're done."

* * *

I think we can all agree that writing detective-y stuff isn't my strongest point, right? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, maybe you could leave me a review? Since it's nearly Christmas? Please? Oh wait. It's not nearly Christmas. How about you just leave me a review anyway? Because you love me and you love my random little author notes.


	25. Trading Air

A/N I know, I know, I know. The line to shoot me starts right here. If it makes you hate me a little less, I did have some kinda important Real Life business to attend to. And maybe one day I'll tell you what it was, but not right now, because I know you're all totally DESPERATE to read this chapter. I once again apologize for the late update. Oh yeah, I have a day off today, so I'm going to try and get Chapter 26 finished, so then you definitely won't have to wait so long. I really hope you enjoy this chapter! It's very...fluffy.

Disclaimer: You know the drill. If you haven't heard of them while watching TV, they belong to me. If you've seen them before, then obviously they belong to very very rich people.

* * *

"I got a letter from my dad."

The piece of cake was suddenly stuck in his throat, and Scotty coughed viciously, looking at his partner incredulously. Lilly folded her arms, leaning casually against the doorframe.

"You got a letter from your dad?" he echoed in surprise. She nodded, moving to sit beside him.

"He wants me to have coffee with him."

"Are you gonna go?"

"No."

Scotty draped an arm around her shoulders. He kissed her temple, hugging his girlfriend into his side.

"OK," he replied. Lilly turned her head to stare at him curiously.

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

A slight frown creased her forehead.

"You're not going to give me twenty reasons why I should meet with him?" she asked in surprise. Her partner shrugged.

"Learnt a long time ago that you don't do anythin' you wanna do, Lil," he chuckled. Lilly draped a leg across his, sliding herself into his lap and pressing a kiss to his lips. Raising a hand to the back of her head, Scotty gently forced her lips apart, his fingers tugging on her ponytail. He almost missed the groan the escaped from the depths of her throat, and chuckled as his partner pushed her chest against his. Scotty broke away.

"Now now, detective. We have plannin' to do."

The blonde detective narrowed her eyes.

"Why is it that whenever I start something, you turn the cold shower on full blast?" she muttered. Scotty grinned, his dark eyes flashing appealingly.

"Because 50% of me is growin' inside you?"

Lilly's face softened, and she kissed him softly.

"Dr Klein said that we couldn't hurt the baby, Scotty."

"I know," Scotty replied, moving her off his lap and onto the sofa beside him. She settled in beside him, looking out at the darkening sky.

"I never answered your question," Lilly said quietly. Her partner looked down at her in confusion.

"Uh...what question?"

"Whether I want a boy or a girl."

Scotty chuckled.

"Right. That question. So?"

"I'm not sure," Lilly answered. Her partner groaned.

"Lil!"

Smirking, the blonde detective stood up, walking off to find a sweater.

"Sorry," she called over her shoulder, "But it's a hard question. And I'm not entirely sure if I have the answer to it."

"Alright, Lil," Scotty replied, just as several sharp knocks resounded from the entrance.

"Can you get that?" Lilly called from the bedroom. Scotty jogged across to open the door. He hesitated, hearing a voice yelling on their doorstep.

"Lillian Rush, you sure as hell got some explaining to do!"

Scotty swung the door open. Lindsey Dunlay stared at him in surprise. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

"I guess you better come in," he said, standing aside to let her through the door.

"I heard Lil got a new man," she stated, "but this? This I did not expect."

Hearing the voices in the living room, Lilly stopped short as she returned from the bedroom. Lindsey turned her head to glare at the detective accusingly.

"If I didn't think Detective Can't-Keep-It-In-His-Pants over here would arrest me, I would kick your ass," she said bluntly.

"Hey!" Scotty exclaimed. Lilly blushed slightly, taking cover behind her boyfriend's defensive stance.

"I meant to call, but..." The social worker rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I know. You were busy."

Scotty cleared his throat.

"Is there...somethin' we can do for you?"

"Oh, I'm not here on a professional call, Valens," she said in amusement, "I was sorting out, and just came to drop some of Lil's things off."

The blonde detective warily eyed the bag held in her friend's hand.

"What's in the bag?" she asked cautiously.

"An' why do you have it?" Scotty interjected. Catching the smirk on Lindsey's face, Lilly turned to her partner.

"Give us a while," she whispered, her cheek brushing against his. Scotty leant back to frown down at her.

"Lil..."

"Please, Scotty. Lindsey's my friend."

He nodded, taking a step back.

"It was nice to meet you again," he said politely, tearing his eyes from his girlfriend's face to smile briefly at the visitor. Lindsey nodded in surprise.

"Sure."

Hearing the bedroom door close, Lilly turned back to face her friend, eyes narrowing menacingly.

"What's in the bag, Lindsey?"

"Photos, yearbook, prom dress that you never got a chance to wear, because you and Ray were..."

"You kept all that?" Lilly interrupted, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. Lindsey sat down on the sofa, grinning.

"I did. Thought you might want it back when you finally settled down," she said, "although I **did** think you'd at least call to let me know."

"I was..."

"Busy. Yeah, I know how it goes, Lil."

The blonde shook her head.

"I really am sorry. How much...how much have you heard?"

"I know that you and Valens are approaching the four month mark..."

Lilly breathed a sigh of relief.

"There's..."

"...and I know that you're pregnant."

"Ah."

The social worker gave her friend a sideways glance, smiling craftily.

"So is he good?"

Lilly blushed, and cleared her throat.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied in a choked voice. Lindsey chuckled.

"Sure you do. Is he good?"

"Stop it," Lilly said, fighting off a smile.

"Is he GOOD?"

The detective sighed.

"Yes," she admitted. Lindsey squealed in delight, grabbing Lilly's arm.

"I knew it!"

Lilly rolled her eyes, grinning despite her annoyed pretence.

"We're not eighteen anymore, Linds."

"Lighten up, Lil," Lindsey teased. Her friend carefully reached into the bag, gently pulling out the dress. Lilly was taken aback at the wave of emotion that washed over her. As they sat staring at it, Lindsey rested a gentle hand on Lilly's shoulder.

"Try it on," she said softly. Lilly looked at her incredulously.

"What? I can't try it on!"

"Why not?"

"Because it won't fit!"

Lindsey arched a pointed eyebrow.

"Lilly, you haven't changed that much in the last sixteen years. Try the damn dress on!"

The detective sighed in defeat, pulling herself to her feet.

"It won't fit," she protested. Lindsey rolled her eyes.

"Quit your whining and strip."

* * *

Maria Valens had always told her children that when someone asked for privacy, you were supposed to leave them alone. Scotty, however, was having real difficulty staying out of the living room. Every now and then, his eyes would flicker to the clock and back again, wondering how long he was supposed to wait. Scotty ran a hand through his hair.

"Dammit," he muttered, tentatively creeping to the door. Easing it open, he took a soft step into the hallway, and cleared his throat noisily.

"Lil? Lil, I'm comin' out now, OK?" he called, not wanting to surprise them. It was Lindsey's voice that replied.

"Come on in, Valens."

Scotty walked into the living room, and stopped short. Lilly turned, a sheepish smile hanging around her lips.

"Hi," she said softly. His eyes widened, roving shamelessly over her figure. Scotty felt his mouth run dry, and swallowed hard. The dress his partner was wearing was gorgeous. _Well, Lil's gorgeous wearing that dress. _The material fell to just above his partner's knees, a flowing skirt in a vibrant red. Seeing the male detective's inability to form a sentence, Lindsey stood up, smirking.

"Well, I think that's my cue. We need a girl's night, Lil."

Blushing under her partner's heated gaze, Lilly nodded.

"Yeah. Maybe Miller's interested."

"Congratulations, by the way. To both of you," Lindsey added. Scotty nodded dumbly.

"Thanks..."

Smiling as she watched Lindsey disappear down the front path, Lilly turned back to her partner, her cheeks flaming.

"Well, that was..."

"Hot," Scotty blurted. Lilly giggled softly.

"What?"

"You. You look hot, Lil," he repeated, grinning as he took her in his arms.

"Thanks."

He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, and groaned when she raised a hand to tangle in his hair, drawing his lips closer. The red satin was soft under his fingers. His tongue darting out to stroke hers, Scotty slid a hand down Lilly's side, down across the fitted bodice to the curve of her hip. The other found the thin straps across her shoulders, and lowered each one to the side of her arms. He felt Lilly sigh, and she melted into him. She deepened the kiss, her hold tight on his t-shirt. Running his other hand from her hip to her back, Scotty let his fingers linger on the zipper. He dragged it slowly down her spine, smirking at the way she shivered under his touch.

With the dress dangerously close to falling to the ground, they finally broke away from each other, breathing heavily.

"Wow," Lilly breathed, looking up at him through starry eyes. Scotty chuckled, laying another soft kiss to her forehead.

"It's late. Let's call it a night?"

The blonde detective shook her head.

"I have to get some more cat litter from the pet shop."

Scotty rolled his eyes.

"Can't it wait? It's late! I'm sure your cats won't mind," he moaned. Lilly laughed, pecking him quickly on the cheek.

"Go sleep, Valens. I'll be back before you know it."

* * *

Breathing a sigh of relief as he let his jeans and t-shirt rest on the chair, Scotty collapsed onto the mattress. He pulled the sheets up to his chest, breathing in the familiar scent of whatever shampoo she used that lingered on the pillows. At least they'd solved the case. _Yeah. At least that asshole is goin' to jail for the rest of his life. An' Adam an' Cady can start healin'._

It seemed he'd only been lying there for seconds when a slim figure slid into bed next to him, now fully clothed in joggers and an old t-shirt.

"I remembered that they're closed on Monday's," Lilly said quietly. Scotty grinned, propping himself up on one elbow.

"It's Friday."

Lilly widened her eyes innocently.

"It is?" Her partner's grin grew.

"You just can't get enough of me, can you, Rush?" She smirked.

"Deal with it, Valens." Scotty chuckled, brushing his lips over hers.

"You know, you're wearin' way too many clothes," he said, his voice muffled by her lips. Lilly smiled seductively, her hair splayed out on the pillow.

"So take them off," she murmured. Grinning, Scotty leant over to kiss her deeply, reaching under the covers to slide a hand under her t-shirt to caress the smooth skin of her back. Lilly rolled into him, draping a leg over his and pressing herself against him. This was what she really liked, she realised, the times when they could just be a normal couple. Her partner felt heat flooding to one particular body part, and managed to tear his lips away from hers.

Blinking in surprise, Lilly caught the hesitation on Scotty's face. She narrowed her eyes menacingly.

"Valens..." she warned. Scotty gently removed her leg from his.

"I'm sorry, but it's just...weird. I can't...not when our baby is..."

"It can't even recognize voices yet!" Lilly exploded angrily, lifting herself off the bed, "I don't think it'll care if things get a bit hot in there!"

He sat up.

"Look, it's not as if I don't want to, but..."

"But what, Valens? I still have _needs_, you know. Just because I'm pregnant, doesn't mean that my **entire** body thinks sex is wrong!" she yelled.

"Will you just calm down a minute? Listen to me, Lil..."

Lilly glared at him.

"You know what? It's fine. Just don't bother coming to me when your wrist starts to hurt!"

Scotty stifled a defensive growl. _This must be one o' those mood swings. If it ain't, then I'm screwed._

"If you could quit yellin' at me for one minute, then..."

"I DON'T WANT TO QUIT YELLING!"

"THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD GO YELL AT SOMEONE ELSE?"

Lilly stormed out of the bedroom.

"Fine!" she snapped. Scotty rolled his eyes.

"Fine!" he shouted.

"Good!"

"Great!"

The male detective winced as the front door slammed shut. He collapsed back on the bed, closing his eyes. A few minutes later, his eyes shot open at the sound of the front door opening, and closing again. He stared at the ceiling.

In silence, Lilly changed into her pyjamas. Sighing heavily, she slid into bed beside him. Turning her face towards Scotty, Lilly narrowed her eyes. Her partner smirked infuriatingly, and scowling, Lilly pressed her cold feet against his. His breath caught in his throat, and refusing to give his partner a response, Scotty simply sniffed, rolling onto his side. Lilly glared at his back, and copied his action, turning away from him. There was silence for a moment, each inwardly cursing the other. Both detectives rolled into the centre of the bed at the same time. Lilly glared at him again.

"I hate you," she grumbled. Scotty nodded.

"I hate you too."

Sighing impatiently, Lilly rolled back onto her side, her back now touching his chest.

"You owe me breakfast," she muttered darkly. Rolling his eyes, Scotty wrapped an arm around her slim waist, pulling her back into his body. Lilly smiled, and was glad that he couldn't see her face.

"Yeah, I know you're smilin', Rush."

Lilly nudged him with her elbow, though it wasn't as hard as it could have been.

"Am not." Chuckling, Scotty kissed his partner's neck, inhaling the subtle scent of her shampoo.

"OK, Lil." They settled into a comfortable silence, neither of them really knowing why they'd 'fought' in the first place. After a while, Lilly turned her head to the side, pillowing her cheek against his arm.

"Hey, Scotty?"

"Yeah Lil?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

When his eyelids began to flutter open, Scotty realised he was lying flat on his front. He rolled onto his side, rubbing his eyes. Blinking, his gaze settled on his partner. Lilly was sitting cross-legged beside him, a jar of something in her hand. Seeing her boyfriend was awake, she grinned, licking the spoon.

"Morning!" she said brightly. Scotty sniffed.

"Are you eatin'...peanut butter?" he asked sleepily. Lilly giggled.

"Uh huh."

"On it's own?"

The blonde detective rolled her eyes.

"No." She reached behind her, grabbing another jar. "I've got jelly," she finished triumphantly. Scotty laughed.

"There's proper food in the kitchen, Lil."

She leant over to kiss him quickly.

"I was waiting for you to make me breakfast, remember?" she said cheekily. Rolling back onto his front, Scotty buried his face in the pillow, groaning in mock dismay. Laughing, Lilly kissed his neck, resting her chin on his shoulder. She swung a leg over so that she was straddling his back.

"Do I have to?" Scotty whined. Lilly placed the two jars on the bedside table, pinching his arm.

"I am carrying your child," she pointed out. He laughed.

"How long is that goin' to be your excuse?"

"Until I'm **not** carrying your child."

With a sigh, Scotty stood up, managing to keep Lilly seated on his back. Laughing, she wrapped her legs around his waist, digging her chin into his shoulder. Scotty carried her piggyback-style into the kitchen, his hands under her thighs. _Good thing she ain't heavy,_ he thought.

"So what does Madam desire this mornin'?" he joked. The blonde detective nudged him with her bare heels.

"Toast, pancakes, hot chocolate, juice and waffles."

"Jesus, Lil! Even Vera don't eat that much!"

"Eating for two," she replied. Scotty rolled his eyes, and carrying his partner across to the sofa, dumped her unceremoniously on the cushions.

"Scotty!" she shrieked. "OK, for that you have to put marshmallows in the hot chocolate."

"Lil!" She couldn't help but laugh at the annoyed look on his face.

"You can have some too, Valens," she teased. Lilly laughed harder at his disgruntled reply. Heading back into the kitchen, Scotty failed to stop a smile appearing on his face at the sound of Lilly's laughter echoing through from the living room. Knowing she wouldn't want to be alone for long, the male detective waited, and sure enough, soon felt slim arms slide around his waist.

"I didn't get my morning kiss," Lilly said accusingly. He turned around, eyebrows raised.

"Only because you harassed me about makin' breakfast."

"Harassed you?" she repeated in amusement, "Hardly."

He lowered his lips to hers, resting a hand on her hip. Breaking away, Lilly smiled up at him.

"I'm going in the shower." Scotty grinned.

"Want some help?"

She rolled her eyes, heading back towards the bedroom.

"Don't you have breakfast to make?"

"I can multi-task!" he called.

"No, you can't!"

With a defeated sigh, Scotty turned back to the counter, muttering under his breath.

"Now who's turnin' on the cold shower?"

* * *

See? Total fluff. And it's only Saturday morning in FloatingAmoebaColdCase Land, and I have big plans for Saturday night. Including some...dancing. I completely forgot about Lindsey Dunlay, so if her reappearance seems kinda random? It is. Thanks to everyone that keeps reviewing! I will be issuing thank you cards ASAP! Maybe you could leave me another review. Please? Thanks! :D


	26. My Baby Shot Me Down

A/N So you add the wrong amount of water to icing sugar and you get a whole load of goo that sorta just sticks together. THAT'S what this chapter is. Tying up loose ends, because by my count, there's only two chapters left after this one! Therefore I apologize beforehand, because I'm not entirely sure how this turned out. Oh yeah, and I'm hoping real life won't interfere too much so I can do a real good job on finishing this off! :D

Disclaimer: I do own three cats. And a dog, because Parker decided the stray that lives on our block doesn't deserve to be a stray. So yeah...we have a dog. Called Sputnik. Eyeroll. Not Cold Case, although have I mentioned it's my birthday in a few months?

* * *

Scotty tapped on Stillman's hospital room door.

"Both of you, come in," the lieutenant called, not bothering to look up from his tray. Lilly hid a smile, following her partner into the room. They sat in the chairs beside the bed. Stillman looked up at them, his gaze coming to rest on Lilly.

"How are you feeling?" he asked in concern. She smiled.

"Shouldn't we be asking you?"

"I'm better. Now answer the question."

"I'm OK." He raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Boss, I'm fine. Really."

Scotty cleared his throat.

"We, uh, jus' wanted to, uh..." Lilly smirked at her boyfriend's obvious discomfort.

"We just wanted to talk to you about my maternity leave." Stillman nodded.

"When I come back, I'll find someone to cover you."

"What about Ellie Manning?"

The older detective sighed, sitting back to study his best, and most difficult, detectives.

"Rush, we already went through this."

"But she's good, boss! And we're not going to need her for a few months anyway!" Lilly protested. Scotty shrugged.

"Lil's right, boss. In three months, Manning might have, you know..." Lilly nodded.

"And it's not as if I'll stop working completely. I'll still come in to..."

"No, you won't," both men interrupted. Lilly vented her frustration on the bed cover, shredding the blanket into thin strands. Scotty raised an eyebrow.

"You know that's damagin' hospital property, right?" he said in amusement. His partner glared at him.

"Don't even go there, Valens, 'cause I'm really not in the mood. Why is everyone treating me like I'm suddenly going to disappear? I'm not even a third of the way through, and I've already had enough!"

She stood up suddenly, storming out of the hospital room. Scotty and Stillman exchanged grins as her annoyed protestations faded away.

"...and where can I get some goddamn peanut butter?"

Lilly stomped down the hallway, muttering under her breath about the injustices of being on pregnant. She walked for what seemed like ages, going in laps around the hospital. As she was almost out of the intensive care unit for the second time, a voice called her to a stop.

"Lilly?"

The detective turned, a smile lighting up her face.

"Dr. Klein! What are you doing down here? Isn't obstetrics two floors up?" she asked in surprise. The obstetrician shrugged, nodding slightly.

"I heard that Lt. Stillman had been brought in. Just thought I'd come and check on him."

Lilly arched an amused eyebrow.

"Check on _him_?" she questioned. The doctor blushed, her smile widening.

"Check on you," she admitted. The blonde detective laughed. Scotty came around the corner, holding two cups.

"Hey, what's up, Doc?" he said with a grin.

"Just checking in, Scotty. How's your boss?" The male detective nodded, handing one cup to his partner.

"Better. He'll be off work for a while, but..."

"But he's already asking when he can be discharged," Lilly finished. Dr Klein laughed.

"Right. Oh, Lilly, don't forget our appointment next Friday."

The detective grimaced.

"How could I forget the delightful physical exam?" she replied sarcastically. Scotty raised an eyebrow.

"Physical exam? Everythin' is OK, right? Nothin' we should be concerned about?"

Lilly sighed.

"Scotty, the physical exam isn't for the baby, it's for me. They stick a..."

Dr Klein cleared her throat, cutting the pregnant woman off before she could completely alienate her boyfriend.

"Don't freak him out, Lilly," she murmured, hiding a grin at the alarmed look on Scotty's face.

"Am I gonna need to be there for that?"

Lilly shrugged, smiling up at him innocently.

"Depends. How good's your stomach?"

* * *

When Vera and Miller returned from informing Greg Anderson of the case closure, Jeffries approached Lilly's desk, wishing he had taken early retirement. _Anything is better than what I'm about to unleash. _He cleared his throat, reaching into his pocket for the piece of paper that had mysteriously appeared on his desk.

"Lil, can I talk to you?" he asked calmly. She looked up, smiling slightly.

"Sure. What's up?"

Jeffries handed her the page, watching a confused frown steal across her face, the smile sliding away. Lilly scanned over it, glancing up at her colleague, and then back down at the paper.

"What is this?" she asked quietly, and Vera and Miller looked up at the anger they heard barely controlled in her voice.

"It's the page from the PD rulebook that talks about what restrictions should be enforced when a female employee becomes pregnant," Jeffries said gently. Miller shook her head. _What a complete moron..._

The blonde detective slowly set the page down on the desk, clenching her fist.

"The page that says pregnant detectives aren't allowed out of the precinct to conduct interviews?"

"Yeah, Lil."

"Where did you get this?"

"Found it on my desk this morning."

"Do you know who put it there?" she continued, looking up at him. Jeffries held her gaze, the look in his eyes telling her that he knew exactly where, or who, the paper had come from. Lilly took a deep breath, trying, but not succeeding, to push the outrage down inside her.

"What are you going to do about it?" she asked evenly. Jeffries retrieved the page, folding it and sliding it back into his pocket. Vera and Miller watched interestedly.

"I'll deal with this situation if and only if I feel it's necessary," he replied. She nodded.

"Thank you."

Giving her a small pat on the shoulder, Jeffries glanced across to his two other colleagues, shaking his head at the storm he knew was coming.

"Why does he have to be such an idiot?" Miller muttered. Vera shrugged, sliding the box of donuts across to her.

"He's just lookin' out for her. You know, because he loves her. I'd do the same."

She felt a faint blush creep over her cheeks, and turned back to her files.

"Right."

Lilly stormed into the break room, slamming the door. Vera winced.

"This ain't gonna be pretty," he muttered, earning a chuckle from the woman sitting opposite him. Behind the closed door, the blonde detective glared at her partner.

"Valens!" she said angrily. He looked up at her, narrowing his eyes as she shoved the piece of paper at him.

"What?"

"You had no right to tell Jeffries that I wasn't fit for duty!"

Scotty stood up, his eyes blazing angrily.

"Are you crazy? You're pregnant, Lil! You can't go chasin' doers!" he snapped. The frayed edges of her temper finally gave way.

"VALENS!" she exploded. Scotty took a step forward, pointing his finger at her.

"Well, sorry for tryin' to protect the woman I love, who jus' happens to be carryin' my baby!" he yelled. As if someone had stuck her with a pin, Lilly deflated, sinking back against the wall. She rubbed her eyes.

"Lilly?" Scotty asked, a mixture of caution and concern evident in his voice. His partner opened an eye to glare at him.

"What?"

"I'm sorry. I just…"

"Just what?" she said dangerously. The male detective edged closer. Scotty sighed, wincing as she stubbornly turned away.

"I'm way outta my league here, Lil," he began in a low voice, "an' I know you are too, but...I jus' gotta know that I'm doin' everythin' I can to look after you."

Her face softened.

"I know that, but you have to let me make my own choices, Scotty. You seriously think I want to put our baby at any more risk than it already is?"

"No, but...wait. What do you mean the baby's already at risk?" he asked in alarm. Lilly looked away, feeling tears prick her eyelids.

"Up until 20 weeks, there's around a 30% chance of a miscarriage. 30%, Scotty. That's the same chance of the Patriots winning the next Superbowl!"

Scotty felt sick. All he could focus on was the word miscarriage. Hearing his breathing grow shallow, Lilly sighed, her eyes glued to the dark counter top. She hastily wiped her eyes, and continued to speak quietly.

"I don't want you to have to keep an eye on me, Scotty. That's not what you're here for."

"Then you tell me, Lil, what the hell I **am** here for?"

"To stand by me no matter what I choose to do! Don't you get it, Scotty?"

He felt anger begin to boil deep down in his chest. He wanted her to look at him, not stare at the goddamn counter.

"Jesus Christ, why do you have to make this so much more complicated than it is! All I wanted to do was look after you, an' if I've gotta fuckin' keep you here, then that's what I'll do!"

Lilly finally spun around.

"Dammit, Scotty! You do NOT get to decide that! I am the one who has to deal with morning sickness. It's MY job that's being turned upside down. It's ME who'll get kicked from the inside. And I'M the one who's going to get so **fat** I won't be able to see my feet."

Scotty stood in silence for a moment, his anger draining from him like water running through a plastic tube.

"Vera can't see his feet."

Lilly shook her head, unable to stop a laugh from spilling over at the complete truth in his statement. Grinning, Scotty moved forward, pulling his partner into a hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist, sighing.

"I don't want to be fat, Scotty."

He rubbed soothing circles on her back, resting his chin on her head.

"I know, Lil. But Dr Klein said you might not even start to show until five, maybe, six months." Lilly pulled back to smile up at him.

"I guess it's not that bad."

Scotty shook his head, his grin growing as Lilly laughed quietly.

"Nah. Jus' think. You can lose whatever weight you put on. Vera's been fat for years!"

* * *

Releasing a slow breath, Lilly placed the cup of coffee on the desk. Scotty glanced at it, before looking up at his partner in surprise. She gave him a small smile, walking over to the lockers. Scotty hurried after her, reaching for her hand. Lilly turned, and his lips caught hers in a gentle yet terrifyingly wonderful kiss. Pulling away, the blonde detective looked up at him with apologetic eyes.

"I know," she began slowly, "that you were only trying to help. I'm sorry for...overreacting."

Scotty stared at her for a moment, before lowering his mouth to cover hers again. _Huh,_ Lilly thought, _if this is what apologizing can do, maybe I should do it more often__? _Her partner broke away, resting his forehead against hers, grinning.

"You're gettin' pretty damn good at this whole deep an' meaningful talkin'."

As she laughed softly, one of his hands found her stomach, his thumb smoothing patterns on her shirt.

"Yeah, well. I learn from the best."

"Why, thank you, Detective Rush!"

"Who says I was talking about you?" Lilly retorted, arching a delicate eyebrow. Miller's head appeared around the corner, her face lighting up at the position she caught her friends in.

"Sorry to break up this heart-warmin' scene, but uniform have just brought in the priest. Thought one of you might wanna join me?"

Lilly slipped out of Scotty's arms, lapsing effortlessly into her bitchy detective mind set. As she grabbed her copy of the file from her desk, Miller chuckled, earning a glare from her colleague.

"What?"

The curly haired detective shook her head.

"Pregnancy suits you, Lil," she replied quietly. Lilly blinked in surprise, the soft words unfamiliar.

"Oh."

Miller rolled her eyes, heading into the interrogation room.

"Don't look so damn scared, Lil. It's one of those things called a compliment!"

* * *

Lilly shut the door, leaning back against it. Father David looked up at her, his eyes wide.

"Am I a suspect, Detective?" he asked in surprise. She shrugged, and Miller almost chuckled at the way her colleague had the 'I couldn't give a damn' look nailed.

"Well, you're not a witness," she replied. Seeing the doubt hovering in his eyes, Lilly smirked craftily, "are you?"

The priest hung his head.

_"David!"_

_The older man appeared from the cloister._

"_Michael! It's late. What are you doing here?" Marsden staggered forward. Fr. David stared in horror at the red stains on his friend's shirt._

"_I killed her, David! She's dead! I killed her!"_

_The priest took in a sharp breath, hastily making the sign of a cross on his chest._

"_Come with me, David," he said slowly, taking the man's elbow and leading him towards the confessional._

Lilly pushed away from the door.

"So you gave him an out. You knew that anything he told you in the confessional would have to stay quiet."

"And just to make sure nothing could go wrong, you offered to take the gun and hide it," Miller completed, perching on the edge of the desk. David shook his head, looking up aghast.

"No! I didn't realize the gun was at St Thomas' until Greg found it!"

Lilly narrowed her eyes.

"Meaning you had to keep him quiet," she said angrily. Miller slapped the folder down on the desk, and David jumped. He looked between the two women, realising that he stood no chance.

"What, you feed him some kinda crap about goin' straight to Hell?" the dark haired detective pressed. David grabbed at the table frantically.

"No! I just...he was so close to those kids, I...I didn't know what to do. I didn't want them to feel any more pain."

"So you covered up their mother's murder?" Miller replied incredulously. The blonde detective straightened.

"It's OK, Kat. Where he's going, he'll know all about pain," she said dangerously. Miller watched a single tear creep down the man's cheek.

"And if he's lucky, maybe he'll get a chance to ask God for forgiveness."

"I wouldn't count on it, though," Lilly added, "I hear there's a long line of people waiting to kneel down over at Curran-Fromhold."

Less than three feet away, behind the mirrored glass, Scotty and Vera were chuckling quietly.

"Remind me to never piss them off at the same time," the younger man said, rubbing the back of his head. Vera frowned, watching their female counterparts in awe.

"Remind me to never piss 'em off at all!"

* * *

Sorry to any Patriot fans! I needed a line, and my other half happened to be talking about football! Hope I didn't upset anyone...maybe ya'll could leave me a little review? Maybe one that makes me happy? Pwetty please? THANKS!


	27. Nuts And Bolts

A/N I may have screwed up the timeline slightly, but is anyone really paying attention? :) To make up for it, we have fluffy smut! Or smutty fluff. Flutt. Smuff. Whatever. We have to remember that Lilly has a whole load of extra hormones flying around her body, so we have to make allowances! I hope you enjoy this chapter- it's the penultimate one! I'm so sad. But hey, if you're interested, I've already started working on the third and final part in this saga. Yay! So I hope ya'll are doing OK!

Disclaimer: Nope. Still no progress on the custody battle, but my lawyer says it's looking hopeful!

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS RATED 'M' FOR SEXUAL CONTENT. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.**

* * *

Lilly giggled as she fell back onto the mattress, but the laugh quickly turned to a throaty moan as Scotty covered her lips with his. He held her down with a firm hand on her hip, the other roaming freely down her neck, over the peak of her breasts, across her flat stomach.

Feeling her tremble under his touch, Scotty chuckled, laying a trail of kisses down her neck. Lilly giggled again.

"Looks like someone found their mojo," she teased, the husky edge to her voice sending heat racing through him. Pulling back to look down at her, he wiggled his eyebrows, grinning as his partner laughed.

Running her hands through his hair, Lilly pulled his lips to meet hers. She looped a leg around the back of his thigh, pressing his hips to hers. Scotty groaned, his lower body jerking involuntarily. He tugged at her vest, lifting it up and over her head. Throwing it to the ground beside the bed, the male detective kissed his way down between her satin clad breasts until he reached her stomach. At the feel of his warm breath on her skin, Lilly shuddered. Scotty slid a hand beneath her pyjama pants, causing his partner to raise herself off the bed and press herself more urgently against his palm. Chuckling at the thin layer of sweat beginning to coat her body and the blush staining her cheeks, Scotty stroked her thighs, teasing her, playing with her. He moved his hand, and Lilly tensed as she realised his intention.

"Scotty..." she gasped. He chuckled.

"What, Lil? This is what you wanted, ain't it?"

Whatever she was about to say was lost as Scotty pushed a finger into her.

"Holy shit, Scotty!" she cried, clutching at his shoulders. The male detective felt himself grow hard, and the throbbing in his pants told him that this was a dangerous game to be playing.

"This baby sure is makin' your mouth dirty," he taunted hoarsely, adding another finger to her centre. Lilly closed her eyes, biting her bottom lip. Scotty continued to paint pictures on her inside walls, taking in every sound she made, every tremble that shook her frame. Straightening his upper body, he caught her lips in a fierce kiss, stretching to keep his fingers pumping inside her. Lilly murmured nonsensical words against his mouth, her eyes shut tight at the intense feelings spreading through her body.

A sharp ring caused them to freeze, remaining perfectly still. The cell phone sounded again, and with a heavy sigh, Scotty pulled his hand away, wiping his fingers on the bedcover.

"I don't believe it," Lilly muttered darkly, throwing an arm over her eyes. Her partner reached for the phone, studying the screen in irritation.

"I gotta take this, Lil."

She glared at him, leaning over the side of the bed for her t-shirt.

"Go ahead. Apparently I'm not getting any tonight, so feel free to take as long as you need!" she said bitterly, yanking the material down over her head.

"Give me a break, Lil. You think I wanted the damn phone to ring?" he replied in frustration. Seeing the annoyance brewing in her boyfriend's eyes, Lilly let her own exasperation fade away.

"No," she admitted, leaning forward to give him a gentle kiss, "but you have to tell me who the hell is calling."

"My grandmother," he answered warily, his jaw tightening in foreboding.

She couldn't help it. The look on his face, which could only be described as fear, made laughter bubble up inside her. At the disbelieving glance he threw in her direction, Lilly buried her face in a pillow, her body shaking as she tried to stifle her giggles. Trying to ignore the quivering heap beside him, Scotty glanced at the number in trepidation, and flipped open his phone.

"Hola, abuela."

Lilly laughed harder at the angry voice that burst from the cell phone. Sighing, her partner held the receiver at arm's length, listening to the irate woman at the other end.

"¿Hola? ¿HOLA? ¡Pensaba tu es muerto! Dios mío, niño, no tengo una llamada o una mensaje. Tu madre…"

Scotty wasn't listening to his grandmother's tirade. He was more concerned with the pyjama clad detective straddling his hips. Smirking, Lilly lowered her lips to brush over his, her palms resting flat on the bed either side of his head.

"This is what you get for leaving me hanging, Valens," she murmured, pressing her mouth down on his. Pressing the handset to his shoulder, Scotty returned her kisses with equal passion, his grandmother's voice muffled by his skin.

"¿Niño?"

Breaking away with a groan, Scotty closed his eyes, wishing his relative could have called at a different time.

"Lo siento, yaya. Soy aquí."

"¿Por qué yo no conozco tu tienes una novia? ¿Tu abuela es no importa?"

"Yaya, te quiero mucho, pero…"

Lilly She slid down his body, trailing kisses down his bare chest until she reached the waistband of his pants. Scotty glanced down at her, his pupils dilating at the burning tightness in his boxers. Lilly chuckled at the warning growl that tore from his throat.

"...si, yaya. Yo conozco. Si."

The words stuck in Scotty's throat as Lilly lowered both his boxer shorts and took him in her mouth, choosing to spill from his lips as a strangled gasp. His head fell back onto the pillow, the phone hanging loosely in his hand. Lilly smirked, swirling her tongue around his tip. Scotty hissed in pleasure.

"¿Niño?"

"Lo siento, yaya," he stammered, stifling a groan as his partner chuckled. The vibrations ran down his length, causing Scotty to grow even harder between her lips.

The blonde detective laughed at his response, and began to move her mouth up and down his shaft, earning another groan from her partner. She rested a hand at the top of his thigh, her fingernails gently scratching at the sensitive skin on the inside of his leg.

"¿Nieto? Creo que tu tienes otra persona con tu. ¿Verdad? Dios mío, muchacho, ¡óigame! Tienes una…"

As his grandmother went on, Lilly's ministrations had him fast approaching his climax, and he once again pressed the phone into his shoulder. Lilly glanced up at him mischievously, before gently biting down. With a grunt, Scotty went soaring over the edge, his cell phone still chattering away angrily. He bit his bottom lip, using one hand to hold his partner in place. He felt her talented tongue around his tip, cleaning the sticky liquid from his skin, but the rest of his body was numb. Scotty lay there for what seemed like years, until finally, he went still, his fingers curled tightly around the cell phone.

"¿Niño?"

Sitting back, Lilly chuckled, flicking her tongue over her lips. Her partner's taste still lingered on her taste buds, and judging from his response, she'd earned the right to be quite proud of her performance. She carefully pulled Scotty's boxers up over his twitching member, giving his thigh a gentle pat.

"¿Scotty? ¡Soy muy enfadada! ¿Por qué no llamada?" the old woman shouted furiously. The male detective was still finding it hard to speak. Lilly laughed softly, sliding up his body to straddle her partner's waist. She lowered her lips to his.

"Speak up, Valens," she murmured teasingly. He swallowed the lump that had risen in his throat, resting his hand on the curve of her hip.

"Lo siento, abuelita, pero yo necesito ir," he managed, feeling Lilly smile as she kissed her way up to the shell of his ear.

"¿Niño? ¡Niño!"

"Adios, yaya. Te quiero."

With a wicked grin spreading from his lips, Scotty snapped his phone shut. He wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, holding her firm against him.

"You...could have...got me...in...trouble," he said, punctuating his words with kisses. Lilly laughed, settling down in the crook of his arm.

"You're welcome," she purred. Chuckling, Scotty moved himself into a more comfortable position against the pillows, pulling his partner with him.

"That ain't the end o' the phone calls, you know."

Sure enough, almost the second he finished speaking, his phone rang again. Lilly smiled against his chest. With a frustrated sigh, Scotty dropped a kiss to the top of her head, reaching for his cell phone.

"I told you they wouldn't leave us in peace," he muttered. Lilly propped herself up on her elbows.

"Who is it?"

"My mom."

She held her hand out for the phone, which Scotty readily placed in her outstretched palm. Kissing him quickly, Lilly flipped the cell phone open.

"Hello?" she said brightly.

"Lilly?" Maria Valens said in pleasant surprise, "I was expecting _mi hijo."_

Lilly glanced across to where her partner lay sprawled beside her, and grinned.

"He's right here. Hold on, I'll put you on loudspeaker." She hit the button, resting the phone on her stomach.

"¡Hola, madre!" Scotty said brightly. Maria chuckled.

"Do I want to know why you sound so happy?"

"Probably not," Lilly called from her side of the bed. The older woman chuckled again.

"I'll trust you on that one, Lilly. I just wanted to warn you that _abuelita _is on the warpath."

"We know, Ma," Scotty said. They could practically hear his mother's grin.

"She finally caught up with you then?"

"About three minutes ago," Lilly replied with a small chuckle.

"Serves you right, Scotty," Maria admonished, "for thinking you could keep something from your grandmother."

Lilly grinned at the uncomfortable look on her partner's face.

"You been keeping secrets again, Valens?" she teased. He narrowed his eyes at her, trying his best to look fierce. His mother spoke again before he could even form a reply.

"She had to find out from **Emilio** that you were bringing a girl to the party! No offence, Lilly."

"None taken!"

"Emilio? As in my nephew Emilio?"

"Do you know another Emilio?" Lilly interjected brightly. Scotty swatted a hand in her direction.

"When the hell did she talk to 'Milio?" he questioned in confusion. Maria sighed heavily.

"Scotty, _niño,_ Michael is the good son. He actually keeps in touch with his family."

The blonde detective had been thinking quietly, and at the concerned glance Scotty gave her, shook her head slightly. Her partner frowned.

"Hold on a minute, mama, OK?"

"OK..."

He pressed the phone into the covers, muffling their voices.

"You alright?"

"You're mother doesn't know, does she?" Lilly said softly. Scotty shook his head, his cheeks burning bright pink.

"I thought maybe you'd want to tell her?"

Her eyes widened.

"Why would I want to tell her? This is **me**, remember!"

"I'm sorry! But..."

"But?" Lilly prompted slowly.

"Now's as good a time as any."

Lilly paused, weighing up both sides of her decision. _Crap. Fine. You know what? He's right. _Placing a quick kiss to her partner's cheek, the pregnant detective reached for the phone.

"Maria?" she began.

"Yes, Lilly?" the older woman replied patiently.

"There's something you should know, and..."

Her voice trailed off. Feeling Scotty's arm wrapped securely around her waist, and knowing that he loved her, gave Lilly the strength to whisper the next words.

"I'm pregnant."

* * *

"Did you know you're mother could scream that loud?" Lilly asked, laughing as her partner rubbed his ears again.

"Nah. My ears are still ringin'."

"Well, I told you we should have told her in person!"

Scotty grinned, pushing the gate open and giving Lilly's hand a gentle tug. Her eyes widened.

"What are you doing?"

"You said you wanted to check on how things are goin'. So here we are, Lil. Checkin'."

She narrowed his eyes at his grin.

"What I meant was that I wanted YOU to check on how things are going. I can't go in there like this!" she hissed, trying to lose herself in his jacket. He stopped, turning and allowing her to hide in the material.

"Lil, you look amazing. So relax, OK?"

A pair of blue eyes peeked up at him.

"Why'd you have to make me wear this dress, Scotty?" Lilly said petulantly. Her partner rested her hands at the small of her back.

"Because I think that every girl that buys a prom dress deserves to wear it," he replied. The top half of her face emerged from his jacket.

"It's sixteen years too late."

"Nah, Lil."

"You better not be lying to me, Valens," Lilly said uncertainly. Scotty grinned, dropping a kiss to her forehead.

"I ain't lyin', Lil. You're beautiful."

With a small yet dazzling smile, Lilly tugged on his hand, letting him lead her through the gate and into the bullpen.

"Yo, Jeffries!" Scotty said cheerfully.

"What are you doing here? Thought you had the day off?"

Scotty chuckled.

"We did. Miss Workaholic over here wanted to check the buildin' was still standin'."

"Hey!" Lilly said in offense, "I am not a workaholic!"

Jeffries felt his eyes widen slightly as he glanced up at Lilly.

"Well. You look...nice, Lil."

She blushed slightly, tugging at the red fabric of her old prom dress.

"Thanks."

"Are you going out?"

"Di's throwin' a Latin party for the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Thought we might tear it up on the dance floor," Scotty replied, casting a teasing glance in his partner's direction. Lilly grabbed his wrist, checking the time on his watch.

"Talking of tearing it up, we're going to be late."

"Wait a minute, Lil," Scotty said, catching her around the waist and holding her still.

"We're going to be late," she repeated with a smile.

"This won't take long."

She frowned slightly.

"OK..."

"Lilly Rush," he whispered, "you are the..."

An irritatingly cheerful voice reached their ears.

"Mmmm, mmm, mmm! Dang, Rush!"

"I swear, fatass, if you say one more thing, then..."

Lilly turned her head, glaring at Vera.

"We're going to a party. Parties require dresses. In case you weren't familiar, this is a dress."

"Alright, alright. Calm down, Rush," the burly detective muttered. Scotty chuckled, ushering his partner towards the door.

"Bye!"

"Scotty, I told you we were going to be late!"

* * *

Walking into the diner, Lilly found herself surrounded by excited squeals and congratulatory hugs. She looked to Scotty for help, but he wasn't faring much better with the men. The blonde detective's saviour came in the unlikely form of Ben Valens.

"OK, OK, let the poor girl breathe," he said, gently taking her arm and leading her out of the swarm. Lilly smiled, the heat from the restaurant already causing her cheeks to turn pink.

"Hi!" she said happily. Scotty's father drew her into a heartfelt embrace.

"Congratulations," he said quietly.

"Thank you."

"But I hope you know what you're getting in to!"

Scotty, having escaped from his brother, wrapped an arm around his partner's shoulders, kissing the side of her head. Lilly smiled up at him, and Ben Valens was once again struck by the love he saw flowing between them.

"You better not be corruptin' my girl, Dad."

"'Your girl'? Since when have I been 'your girl', Valens?"

He grinned confidently.

"Since I impregnated you?" he replied. Lilly rolled her eyes.

"Impregnated," she said, pretending to be impressed, "that's a real long word, Scotty."

Ben Valens laughed.

"You tell him, Lil. Hey, let me take your stuff."

"Sure, Dad, side with her," Scotty muttered, handing his father their belongings. Lilly giggled at the miffed look on his face, kissing him quickly.

"Come on. I want to dance."

The male detective grinned.

"Dance? What kinda dancin'?" he questioned curiously.

"Salsa," she replied nonchalantly, taking a few steps away. Scotty glanced over at her in surprise.

"You can salsa?"

Lilly looked back over her shoulder, smirking flirtatiously.

"You bet I can salsa, Valens. Just hope you can keep up."

Turning on her heel, the blonde detective headed for the dance floor, and she knew without having to look that her partner's eyes were attached to her retreating figure. Stepping into the cleared space between the tables, Lilly smiled as she felt a hand close around her wrist.

Scotty spun her around, the hand on her wrist bringing their palms higher, and the other landing on her hip. Breaking away from the momentum of his tug, Lilly felt herself stop short, rolling her eyes as she realised he'd somehow moved them into an ideal dancing position.

"Smooth, Valens," she murmured. He brushed his nose against her cheek, beginning to move his hips in time to the music.

"You ain't seen nothin' yet."

Lilly arched an eyebrow, following his moves as if their bodies were glued together.

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"I haven't so far," he replied with a charming grin. Their hips moved together, swaying, twisting, matching each other step for step. To the people watching from the sides, Scotty's parents and Di included, it was as if Lilly and Scotty had been practising the dance for years. Each spin, each twirl was perfectly executed, and Di chuckled at the exhilarated flush staining the cheeks of both detectives. Other couples moved the floor, soaking up the Latin rhythm.

Seeing his parents on the dance floor, and noticing his grandmother holding a tray of cakes, Emilio Valens clambered up on the stool beside her. His hand snuck out, and almost managed to steal a cake, when a sharp finger descended on his wrist.

"_Mantenga sus manos fuera, nieto,_" Maria Valens warned, smiling at the pout of his lips.

"But, Grandma!"

"Hush."

After a few moments, Emilio tugged at her hand.

"_Abuela_? Why's everybody lookin' at Uncle Scotty and Lil?"

"'Cause they're happy, Em. People like seeing them happy."

The song came to a finish, and Lilly laughed, burying her face in her partner's neck. Scotty hugged her tightly. Mike Valens clapped him on the back.

"Now, I've seen you dance before, but that? That was something totally different!"

Scotty grinned down at Lilly, seeing the amused spark dancing in her blue eyes.

"That wasn't me, bro. That was all Lil," he replied. She nodded in agreement.

"And don't you forget it, Valens. Never challenge a pregnant woman to a competition."

Allie Valens appeared beside them, handing Lilly a glass of water and Scotty a beer. She smirked at the blonde detective's comment.

"That's right. You can only lose!" she said brightly. Mike rolled his eyes.

"Something's never change, then."

* * *

"I did not!"

"You did! You bet that I couldn't last all evening in these shoes, and I did!"

Scotty groaned.

"Nah, Lil. I saw you slip 'em off when you were sittin' with my mom!"

"Are you sure you don't need glasses? I think you must have been imagining it."

"This is what Allie meant when she said arguin' wit' a pregnant woman was pointless, ain't it? I'm always gonna lose."

Laughing, Lilly pushed the door shut, tossing a teasing grin over her shoulder.

"Suck it up, Valens! You lost the bet!"

"Rematch!" he called from the bedroom. Locking the door, the blonde detective headed off in search of her partner. Seeing him bare-chested in the centre of their bedroom, Lilly couldn't resist sneaking up behind him to place a kiss to the smooth, inviting skin of his shoulder.

"You really want a rematch?" she murmured, her voice muffled by his back. Chuckling, Scotty turned, casting his shirt on the floor.

"Nah. Guess I'll survive."

Lilly pecked him quickly on the lips.

"I like it when I win."

Scotty sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling her towards him. He pressed an ear to her womb, his arms sliding around her waist to hug her middle. Smiling, Lilly ran her hands through his hair, trailing her fingers down his neck.

"I love you," she whispered, her eyes filling up with tears at his simple action. Hearing her choked voice, the male detective stood, sliding his hands from her waist up to her cheeks. He stared at her for a moment, before he brought their lips together in the most love filled kiss Lilly had ever received. She melted into him. After a moment, Scotty broke away, chuckling as Lilly blindly searched to reconnect with his lips.

"Did you know that when a woman is pregnant, all her senses are on overload?" she murmured.

"I mighta guessed," her partner replied. Lilly smiled up at him.

"Sounds good, doesn't it?" she said brightly. Scotty kissed her nose.

"Yes, it does."

* * *

You guys know the drill- if you want the Spanish translations, you have to leave me a real nice review and ask for them! XD I'm really grateful to those of you that take the time to review! Ya'll just put a smile on my face!


	28. Trip Switch

A/N My final author's note for this story! I'm so sad. Well, OK, maybe not so much because I know all the juicy stuff that's going to happen in the third part. The title is set: Part 3 will be called 'Somebody Like Us'. I just want to say a **HUGE** thank you to everyone that has read and reviewed, especially those that have stuck it out from the very beginning! It really means a lot, you guys. This chapter is pretty much total fluff, plus a tiny little not-very-smutty bit at the very beginning, so I really hope I've done a good job. The song used later on is 'Out Of My League' byt Stephen Speaks: awesome song, totally think you should all check it out! So, for the final time, happy reading!

Disclaimer: I better think up some new disclaimers before I start 'Somebody Like Us', don't ya think? But for now, we can just say they're lost in the mail...

* * *

"So where's Romeo? Is he meeting us later?" Miller asked, burying her hands in her pockets as they walked along the street towards the bar. Lilly smiled to herself.

"He should be. He said he had an errand to run," she lied, remembering how she'd left her partner before making her way to meet the team.

_Scotty chuckled throatily, gently biting down on the soft skin behind her ear. Lilly shivered, wrapping her legs around his waist._

"_Why do you have to leave so early?" he murmured, trailing kisses up her neck. __She arched her back, and reaching her hands up to his shoulders, pulled him flush against her._

"_Because Ellie Manning started in Homicide today, and I said I'd meet her outside," she replied breathlessly. Lilly felt Scotty smile against her, and he shifted position. __The blonde detective felt her breath hitch as his tip brushed against her entrance. Scotty entered her slowly, stealing hot kisses from her lips. Lilly moaned softly as he began to thrust into her._

"_I guess I don't have to leave yet," she gasped. __Scotty smirked, his hands roaming over her smooth skin._

"_Guess ya don't..."_

Catching the glazed look in her colleague's eyes, Miller scoffed in disbelief.

"Yeah, right. An errand," she muttered disgustedly. Lilly blushed, her cheeks turning bright pink. Manning was already leaning against the wall when Miller and Rush arrived at the noisy tavern

"Not bad, Manning," the dark haired detective said, "You're here before Rush."

Lilly narrowed her eyes.

"I'm pregnant. Tell the alien inside me that throwing up twenty-four seven isn't exactly fun," she retorted darkly. Manning raised an eyebrow.

"So how far along are you?" Lilly sniffed.

"We have some...rules, in Homicide," she replied dangerously.

"Rule #1. Don't ask about the baby," Miller said, giving her blonde colleague a teasing nudge with her elbow. The young detective looked slightly taken aback, but nodded uncertainly.

"OK. Can I buy y..."

"Rule #2," Lilly interrupted, "never offer to buy drinks."

"And Rule #3," Miller said with a smile, "watch and learn."

Vera's gravelly voice reached their ears.

"Evenin', ladies." Miller sighed in mock despair.

"I think that's the first nice thing he's said to me all week," she muttered. As he approached, Vera bent his head to Lilly's waist.

"Evenin', baby," he added brightly, his nose level with the waistband of her slacks. The blonde detective rolled her eyes, turning to push open the door.

"Seriously. Still finding that weird."

* * *

Jeffries looked up as the team approached the table.

"You all made it," he said in slight surprise. Vera rubbed his hands together.

"First round's on me!"

Lilly sighed heavily.

"The one time Vera springs for drinks and I can't take him up on his offer," she said seriously. Vera's eyes widened, and after seeing the amused glint in her eyes, felt a broad grin spread across his face.

"Was that a joke? Did you just make a joke?"

The blonde detective rolled her eyes. Miller shook her head in mock astonishment.

"Take it easy, Vera. That was nearly a compliment," she replied. Lilly smiled, sliding onto a chair as Vera made a beeline for the bar. The rest of the team followed, until they were all squashed around the table. Manning hovered nervously in the background, until Jeffries turned his attention to her.

"Are you planning on standing there all night?"

She blushed, sheepishly shuffling from foot to foot. Jeffries's lips twitched and he moved up, nodding to the space beside him. Small talk broke out, the more senior detectives taking it upon themselves to wipe the nerves from Manning's face.

"Ellie, please stop looking so terrified," Lilly murmured, "it makes you look about five years old."

Returning from the bar, Vera placed the tray on the table.

"Four beers and an orange juice for Rush."

Ignoring her rather rude reply, he frowned thoughtfully, sitting back in his seat.

"Hey, Manning?"

"Yes?" she asked uncertainly.

"How old are you?"

Lilly and Miller punched his arms, mouths falling open in disbelief.

"Vera!"

"You don't ask a woman how old she is!"

"Well, not if you expect an honest answer," Jeffries muttered under his breath, smirking. Vera rubbed the sore spots.

"Jesus! That better not bruise, Miller!"

Manning grinned, stifling her laugh behind her hand.

"It's alright. I'll answer the question. I'm 26."

Vera wiggled his eyebrows in Lilly's direction.

"Hey Rush! You ain't the youngest anymore!" he said brightly. She narrowed her eyes.

"You think just 'cause I'm pregnant doesn't mean I won't shoot you?"

* * *

They were nearing the end of their third round of drinks when the door swung open and a gust of cold air made people murmur in shock. Miller smiled craftily, glancing at Lilly from the corner of her eye.

"So why is Scotty running late, Lil?"

"He had an errand to run," the blonde detective replied, narrowing her eyes in a fierce warning. Her colleague nodded teasingly.

"What kind of errand?"

Before she could form a biting reply, Scotty appeared behind her. The team watched as a beaming smile transformed their colleague's face, her blue eyes lighting up at the feel of her partner pressed up against her back. The blonde detective turned on her seat, flinging her arms around his waist.

"Sorry I'm late," Scotty grinned, kissing the top of her head. Lilly pulled back to smile up at him.

"Hey," she said softly.

"How you feelin'?" he asked. She shrugged, nestling her head into his shirt.

"They won't buy me a drink, and Vera's trying to get me to do karaoke."

Scotty chuckled.

"You can't drink alcohol when you're pregnant."

"Exactly," Vera said in relief, "Glad to see I ain't the only one who's lookin' out for you, Lil. I mean, you gotta be careful o' all sorts of things, you know, like..."

Completely ignoring him, Lilly dragged Scotty down to press a quick kiss to his lips. Manning smiled. _So I guess what I heard was right. Cold Cases is certainly a lot more interesting than normal Homicide._

"...so I really hope you're bein' careful," Vera finished seriously. Miller patted his arm.

"Thanks for caring, Vera," she said in mock seriousness. Lilly flipped her hair back over her shoulder, shrugging.

"I am being careful," she replied, "I'm not doing any heavy lifting, I'm not drinking, I don't smoke, I can't stand blue cheese, so that's not a problem, I..."

Scotty clamped a hand over her mouth, resting his chin on the top of her head. Her tongue poked out from between her lips, licking his palm, and her partner hastily withdrew his hand.

"...I'm not changing the cat litter, I get a reasonable night's sleep, and..."

"Alright, Lil, we get it," Jeffries said, chuckling.

"Yeah, we all know how much you hate being pregnant," Scotty added, standing behind her. Feeling his hands on her shoulders, Lilly rested her head back against his waist, smiling up at him. He grinned, and found the pink tinge creeping on her cheeks so irresistible, he had to bend down and give another kiss. Manning frowned.

"Are they always like this?" she questioned hesitantly. Miller nodded gravely.

"Yes. It's a wonder we've all lasted this long."

Laughing, the couple broke away from each other. Scotty counted the empty glances.

"Third round over? Anyone want a fourth?" Vera chuckled.

"You buyin', Valens?"

"I offered, didn't I?" he retorted. Rolling her eyes, Lilly stood up.

"Play nicely, children. I'll get it."

A slight frown of concern creased his forehead, and Scotty gently caught her elbow.

"I can do it, Lil. Come on, sit down."

"I love you, Scotty, but you have to relax a little bit, OK? Nothing can happen in the time it takes me to get to the bar and back," Lilly replied seriously. He stared at her for a moment. Nodding, the male detective finally released her arm, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"If you slip on an ice-cube," he murmured, "can I say 'I told you so'?"

* * *

Perching on one of the barstools at the far end of the counter, Lilly gave her protégé a sideways glance.

"Nervous?" she teased. Manning blew out a shaky breath.

"Oh yeah."

"Relax, Manning. You're covering maternity leave, not climbing Everest."

The new detective stifled a sigh.

"I know, but..."

"But?" Lilly prompted gently.

"But there's so much to live up to!"

Lilly laughed softly.

"Ellie, we're a family. We have our ups and downs, and sometimes we don't even like each other, but..."

The bartender stopped in front of them.

"What can I get you, Rush?"

"Hey, Jimmy. I need five beers and a soda water."

"So which one of you detectives is the designated driver tonight?" he said with a laugh, reaching for the beers.

"That would be me," Lilly replied. Manning shook her head.

"You were saying?" she pressed, sweeping a lock of mousy brown hair from her eyes. The blonde detective smiled reassuringly.

"We all screw up, Manning. I'm sure Vera won't waste any time in telling you about our different...faults. But you're one of us now, Ellie. We have no secrets."

The younger detective grinned craftily.

"No secrets, huh?" she echoed. Catching the sneaky tone to her voice, Lilly glanced at her warily.

"Ellie..." she warned good-naturedly.

"If there are no secrets," Manning continued brightly, "then why wouldn't you tell me why you were so upset a few weeks ago?"

Feeling her cheeks turn pink, Lilly grabbed two bottles in each hand.

"Come on. They'll be getting bored," she said in barely concealed embarrassment. Manning hid a smile.

"Right."

Jeffries looked up as they returned, taking a bottle from her hand.

"Thanks." She frowned, her eyes searching for Scotty.

"Where'd they go?" she asked in confusion. Miller edged up, letting Manning sit down in Vera's seat.

"I have no idea," she replied. Miller frowned thoughtfully.

"Hey, Lil. You never did tell us why you hate musicals."

"It's because she never saw me in Grease," Vera said, returning to the table.

"After you're demonstration, fatass, I think that's a good thing."

Jeffries chuckled.

"Come on, Lil. Show Vera how you do it."

Lilly shook her head vigorously.

"You will never be able to get me stupid enough, or drunk enough, to get up there and do…that."

Miller leant forward, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Go on, Lil."

And then she murmured the magic words.

"I dare you."

Vera laughed. Everyone knew Lilly Rush couldn't refuse a challenge. After a moment, the blonde detective blushed, lowering her gaze.

"No," she said quietly, resting a hand over her womb. The rest of the team exchanged mystified glances. Jeffries placed a reassuring hand on Lilly's shoulder.

"Doesn't matter, Lil. You want another juice?"

"I'll do it."

They turned to look at Ellie Manning, who in return offered them a shy smile.

"I'll sing. If you want me to."

"It's not some sort of test, Manning," Jeffries said gently. She nodded.

"I know."

Vera shrugged, eyeing the young woman carefully.

"It's a free world," he muttered. Jeffries chuckled.

"He's right, Manning. Go ahead. And if you're good, we'll consider transferring you to Cold Cases."

Vera grinned, casting a sneaky glance at Lilly.

"Show Rush what she's missing."

Lilly glared at him, resting her forehead on the table top. On the stage, the pianist began to play, tinkling ivories that made a gradual hush fall over the bar.

**It's her hair and her eyes today**

**That just simply take me away**

**And the feeling that I'm falling further in love**

**Makes me shiver, but in a good way**

The blonde detective sat bolt upright, eyes fixed straight ahead in mortification.

"Tell me that's not who I think it is," she said, her voice laced with dread. Miller looked towards the stage, eyes sparkling with unconcealed amusement.

"Do you want me to lie?" she replied.

**All the times I have sat and stared**

**As she thoughtfully thumbs through her hair**

Scotty continued to sing, a teasing grin spreading from his lips at the horrified glance Lilly threw in his direction.

**As she purses her lips, bats her eyes**

**And she plays with me sitting there**

**Slack-jawed and nothing to say**

**'Cause I love her with all that I am**

**And my voice shakes along with my hands**

**'Cause she's all that I see and she's all that I need**

**And I'm out of my league once again.**

Kat felt Vera appear behind her, and she turned her head to grin up at him.

"Check out Detective Karaoke," he laughed.

"He ain't bad, Lil," the curly haired woman pointed out. Lilly sank down further in her seat, a bright blush staining her cheeks. Miller was right- Scotty wasn't bad. In fact, he was actually quite good. _Still doesn't stop this being hideously embarrassing!_

Somewhere else in the bar, an unknown woman screamed out, pushing her way to the front of the crowd.

"Oh, yeah, baby! Sing for me!" she cried drunkenly. For the second time, Lilly's head shot up, and she glared at the figure currently trying to throw herself at Scotty's feet.

**It's a masterful melody when she calls out my name to me**

**As the world spins around her she laughs, rolls her eyes**

**And I feel like I'm falling but it's no surprise**

**'Cause I love her with all that I am**

**And my voice shakes along with my hands **

Miller chuckled.

"You just gonna leave him to deal with Barbie over there?" she asked in amusement. Lilly shrugged carelessly, but the glint in her eye told the curly haired detective that someone's feelings were about to be hurt. _And I'm pretty certain they won't be Lil's._

Up on the stage, Scotty was beginning to think that maybe this hadn't been such a great idea. _You moron. Did you actually think Lil would appreciate this? Ah, crap. Oh well, guess I better finish the damn song..._

**'Cause it's frightening to be swimming in this strange sea**

**But I'd rather be here than on land**

**Yes, she's all that I see and she's all that I need**

**And I'm out of my league once again.**

Seeing the embarrassed realisation steal across her partner's face, Lilly tried to hide a smile...unsuccessfully. Vera's jaw dropped.

"Wait a minute! You like this! You like him bein' all..."

"Sweet? Considerate? Loving?" Miller interrupted.

"...weird."

Lilly blushed.

"I do not," she retorted half-heartedly. Vera grinned in triumph, her weak argument more of a confirmation than a denial.

"You've gone soft!" he crowed. The blonde detective pointedly ignored him, turning her head to surreptitiously watch Scotty sing.

'**Cause I love her with all that I am**

**And my voice shakes along with my hands**

**'Cause she's all that I see and she's all that I need**

**And I'm out of my league once again.**

As the song came to a finish, and the crowd burst into applause, Scotty stepped out of the limelight, starting to make his way to the bar. He'd barely taken two steps away from the stage when a pair of breasts was all but shoved up against him.

"Uh...'scuse me," he said uncertainly. The blonde smiled, wrapping her arms around him. She gazed up at him.

"You're really hot..." she slurred. Miller and Vera burst out laughing at the obvious discomfort on Scotty's face. Lilly smirked, catching the pleading glance her partner threw in her direction. Jeffries and Manning appeared beside them.

"Torture's illegal in the United States, Lil," the acting lieutenant said in amusement. She smiled brightly, the determined gleam in her eye sparkling brighter as she watched this unreserved woman's hands travel lower down Scotty's chest towards his belt.

"Guess I better go help him out then."

Lilly slid off the stool, handing her drink to Jeffries as she passed. Vera rubbed his hands together gleefully, straightening up to get a better look.

"Show time," he chortled. Miller nudged him with her elbow.

"Honestly. People will start to think you have no life."

"If they don't already," Jeffries added teasingly. Tossing a grin over her shoulder, Lilly weaved her way through the crowds. Scotty saw her coming, and the almost predatory smile she was wearing both scared him and seriously turned him on.

"I was just comin' to find you," he said in relief. The blonde who was plastered against his chest turned her head, frowning in annoyance at the woman who had interrupted her fun.

"Having fun?" Lilly asked coolly. Barbie bit back a growl of frustration.

"Well, I _was_," she snapped pointedly. Lilly nodded, gingerly removing the woman's hands from Scotty's waist.

"Great. Go find someone else's boyfriend to play with."

Scotty stifled a chuckle as the woman drew her hands back like he had burnt her.

"You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend!" she accused. Lilly slid an arm around her partner's waist.

"You didn't give him the chance."

Her rival pouted slightly, and Scotty bit back another laugh as he realised Lilly was trembling with barely controlled laughter of her own. _Guess she ain't mad then. _The blonde stomped off, and releasing a sigh of relief, Lilly moved around to face her partner.

"Hi," she said with a smile. The male detective kissed her fiercely, pulling her more firmly against him.

"Hi," he replied, his voice muffled by her lips. Returning his kiss, Lilly snaked a hand up to his hair. Breaking away, she narrowed her eyes.

"I swear, if you **ever** sing to me again, I will not hesitate to separate various body parts from your actual body."

Scotty grinned cockily.

"Hey, I can live without a couple of fingers!"

"You wish. More important body parts, Valens."

"Ah, but you'd miss out on so much."

"Would I? Would I really?"

"Damn, Lil, these hormones really make you hit where it hurts."

* * *

"So you actually went line-dancing in Tennessee?" Manning asked in awe. Lilly smirked, glancing at Scotty.

"I don't know if what Valens was doing really counted as dancing."

He rolled his eyes.

"I was **drunk**. Dancin' ain't dancin' when you're seein' two of everything."

"But you were only seeing one of Charlene, right?" Lilly teased. Scotty glared at her.

"Hey, Charlene was a nice girl, OK?"

His partner held her hands up in pretend defeat.

"If you say so, Valens."

"Do you always fight this much?" Manning said, somewhere between exasperated and amused.

"Yes."

"No."

Miller and Vera exchanged looks.

"Yes," they said adamantly. Lilly quickly changed the subject.

"So when is Boss coming back?"

"Now, now, Rush, don't go changin' the subject," Vera said, shaking his head.

"Oh, bite me, Vera!" she snapped. The rest of the team chuckled. Jeffries cleared his throat, raising his bottle.

"Let's make a toast."

"To teamwork," Miller suggested.

"To new starts," the acting lieutenant added, smiling at Manning.

"And to the peanut growin' inside Lil that makes her so much more fun to be around!" Vera finished, playfully nudging her with his elbow. Lilly sighed heavily.

"You know it will eventually start to look like a person, right? You can't always call it 'peanut'?"

"Why not? I can be Uncle Nick, and Baby Peanut. It all works out."

"If you go around calling my child 'peanut', I will shoot you. Why are we even talking about this anyway? Who's set to win the Superbowl?"

"Chill out, Lil. It's a baby, not the goddamn Antichrist," Vera pointed out.

"I feel like I ain't slept in months," Scotty moaned. The burly detective chuckled as Lilly rolled her eyes.

"And I'm just having a ball with morning sickness and an over-active bladder," she retorted. Miller laughed, exchanging amused glances with Manning.

"It gets better, Lil. Trust me."

The blonde detective pulled a face.

"When?"

"Depends. How far along are you?" Miller asked. Lilly pouted slightly.

"Not far enough."

Miller grinned.

"Lighten up, Lil. It's meant to be fun. Just think- this time next year, you'll have your own bundle of joy."

"Yeah?"

"You're what, nine, ten weeks pregnant?" Manning said reassuringly, "You've got at least six months to freak out."

Lilly stormed off, shouting back over her shoulder.

"I hate you, Valens! This is all your fault!" she yelled. Vera grinned, realising exactly what his colleague now had to live with. Scotty watched the bathroom door slam shut, and rubbed a hand over his face.

"Six months?"

* * *

So there we have it, you guys! I really hope I did an OK job on the ending. I hope you'll all keep your eyes open for 'Somebody Like Us', when I finally get around to working on it. Once again, thanks so much for all the amazing reviews! Eternally grateful, **FloatingAmoeba**.


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